TVNZ congratulates Christabel Williams, who has been crowned the winner of Popstars 2021, taking out the $100,000 prize and proving she is well on her way to living out her music dream.
Still on a high note from tonight’s announcement, Christabel said “Oh my god, I actually did it! I'm elated and ecstatic
to have won Popstars and am so grateful for the opportunity. It came around just when I needed it, and to be standing here now is surreal.
"Thank you to everyone who has supported me during the show, whether it's watching one episode, following my music
journey online, streaming my single, or if you are part of my close village of people, it means everything to me."
A stand-out from the inception of the show in April, this 20-year-old from Auckland was chosen by Popstars panellists Kimbra, Nathan King and Vince Harder as the deserving winner after careful consideration of her vocal
ability, song-writing skills, stage presence, initial uptake of her brand-new single If You Ain’t Looking, and growth as an artist through the various challenges and industry workshops undertaken over the series.
“The final was a night of outstanding musicianship and genuine artistry that push the envelopes of pop,” said Kimbra.
“Christabel is an artist who shows the power of vulnerability when channelled into art; she is a writer of anthems that
reach deep into the human heart.”
With If You Ain’t Looking hitting number one on the iTunes charts today, a fast-growing fan base and this incredible launching pad as an
independent artist, this is Christabel's time to shine!
With strong competition from her talented fellow finalists – A.R.T., Skye Hine and TJ Zimba – it wasn’t an easy decision
for the panellists, who feel humbled and excited by the extraordinary level of Kiwi talent Popstars has showcased.
“Watching these artists carve out their space in the pop landscape has been a great honour and they are all destined for
long-lasting careers,” said Kimbra. “It has been so rewarding to see them overcome challenges and step out of their
shells as powerful performers and writers.”
“I’m so proud of our four finalists, they have all exceeded my expectations,” added Vince. “It was such a hard decision
to choose a winner out of four such distinct acts. They blew me away with their final performances and I’m humbled that
I got to be a part of their music journey. I know this is just the beginning for them all.”
Nathan echoes that sentiment; “Watching the final four artists grow the way they have has been amazing. They’re all
uniquely talented, and I’m so stoked for each of them - taking the incredible opportunity that is Popstars to kickstart their careers. I know they’ll all go on to make us proud.”
Christabel's debut single If You Ain’t Looking is available to stream on iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music now.