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TrueBliss
TrueBliss were a New Zealand pop girl group formed in April 1999. The band were formed on the popular television show ''Popstars'', which aired on TVNZ's TV2 channel for nine weeks in the search for a new girl group. TrueBliss were the first ever group to be formed under the ''Popstars'' franchise, before the concept was sold to broadcasters in Australia (who formed the group Bardot in similar style), continental Europe, United Kingdom and the United States. Formation Five girls, Joe Cotton, Keri Harper, Erika Takacs, Carly Binding and Megan Alatini, were taken from obscurity to instant stardom overnight while enjoying commercial success with their No.1 single "Tonight". TrueBliss were managed by Jonathan Dowling, and briefly by Simon Grigg, although on TV they were portrayed as being managed by Peter Urlich, and enjoyed three single releases with label Columbia, an imprint of Sony Music. The girls signed sponsorship deals with Pepsi and Burger King before embarking on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tonight (TrueBliss Song)
"Tonight" is the 1999 debut single of New Zealand girl group TrueBliss, the first ever group to be formed under the ''Popstars'' banner, as part of the 1999 TVNZ series. "Tonight" debuted at number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart, remained in the top 40 for 10 weeks and was certified platinum for sales of over 10,000 copies. Background "Tonight" was written and produced by Silver Scroll-winning songwriter Anthony Ioasa as part of the ''Popstars'' television programme. The single included a karaoke Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music i ... version of the song and a cover of the 1992 Kylie Minogue song " Closer". The song was also the opening track on TrueBliss' debut album ''Dream''. Music video A music video was made for the single, directed by Andy Gale. It fe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dream (TrueBliss Album)
''Dream'' is New Zealand pop band TrueBliss's first and only album, released in 1999 in New Zealand on the Columbia Records label. Album information The lead single, "Tonight", was a number one hit in New Zealand and the biggest-selling single of 1999 there. The album sold in excess of double-platinum copies in New Zealand and was supported by the 'Number One Tour' The recording of the album was documented in the very first series of PopStars a TV show which became a global hit. The recording was completed in a matter of a few weeks to ensure the album would sell off the back of the TV series. It was almost entirely written by Anthony Ioasa with three cover versions included. Track listing Singles "Tonight" was released in May 1999 and debuted at #1 in New Zealand where it stayed for two weeks. It was named the biggest-selling New Zealand single of 1999 at the New Zealand Tui Music Awards. "Number One" was released in August 1999. It debuted at #13 in the charts and a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Cotton
Joanne Monique "Joe" Cotton, is a Canadian-born New Zealand pop singer who gained recognition as a member of the girl group TrueBliss, formed in 1999 on ''Popstars''. Cotton has since joined a cover band, The Mermaids Danceband. She has also worked as a radio presenter, for More FM and The Edge. Biography Cotton was born in Vancouver, Canada. She relocated with her family to Wellington, New Zealand in 1985. She has one brother, Paul Cotton, who was a member of popular kiwi Christian rock group, the Lads. Her niece, Hope Cotton, is also a prominent advocate within the Disability and LGBTQ+ spaces. She studied music throughout her time at Wellington Girls' College leaving at the start of her seventh form year to do a three-year diploma in Rock and Commercial music at Whitireia Community Polytechnic. Joe enjoyed performing from an early age and during fifth form her school choir attended the Australasian Choral Championships which they were the joint winners of. In late 1998 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megan Alatini
Megan Bronwinne Alatini (née Cassie, born 29 September 1976) is a South African-born, New Zealand pop singer, actress and television personality. She rose to fame in New Zealand on the reality television series '' Popstars''. She went on to become a member in the girl group TrueBliss. She is also known for portraying the part of Java in the popular sci-fi series '' The Tribe''. Later she gained more exposure appearing as a judge on ''New Zealand Idol''. Early life Alatini was born in George, Cape Province, South Africa, as the first child of Barbara and Daniel Cassie. She spent the first eleven years of her life there, until her family relocated to New Zealand in 1987. She enrolled in Papatoetoe High School in Auckland, becoming a prefect and being considered a good student and role model. At age 17 she met Pita Alatini, a future New Zealand All Black rugby player, and began dating him. She soon became pregnant – her future plans of going to University were disrupted, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Popstars
''Popstars'' is an international reality television franchise aimed to find new singing talent. Serving as a precursor to the ''Idol'' franchise, '' Popstars'' first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the girl group TrueBliss. Despite all shows in the ''Popstars'' franchise having been off air in recent years, it remains one of the most successful TV show formats of all time with the format being sold to more than 50 countries, and producing groups such as Girls Aloud that had success on the UK charts for the next ten years after winning. The show was the inspiration for Simon Fuller's ''Idols'' franchise. History The series originated in New Zealand, broadcast on TV2 in 1999, where producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss. Dowling then licensed the concept to production company Screentime in Australia, who then on sold it to TresorTV in Germany before taking it worldwide. Despite all versions now being cancel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carly Binding
Carly Binding (born 2 February 1978) is a New Zealand pop singer-songwriter, and former member of the girl group TrueBliss. In 2000 she left the group, citing personal differences, and decided to pursue a solo career. Her debut solo album ''Passenger'' peaked at #6 on the New Zealand album charts and went gold. It was also released in Australia, where Binding has since toured extensively. She was born and raised in the city of Tauranga. Her second (and final) album ''So Radiate'' was released on 3 July 2006. Supporting this album, she undertook a tour of New Zealand with fellow singer-songwriter Donald Reid. In 2007, Binding was invited to play at the music festival SXSW which is held in Austin, Texas each year. This led to her spending a further four months in the US playing regular shows at venues on the Sunset Strip and surrounding areas in Los Angeles. Carly's father, Wellesley Binding, is a New Zealand painter. From 2009 to 2015, Binding was in a relationship with forme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Popstars (New Zealand TV Series)
''Popstars'' is a New Zealand reality documentary television show. The first edition aired on TVNZ in 1999 and showed the establishment of a five-piece girl group, TrueBliss. The series was the origin of the '' Popstars'' reality TV series format, which went on to be sold to over 50 countries. A reboot of ''Popstars'' screened in 2021, making the New Zealand format the only one remaining in the franchise to keep ongoing to this day. Format Unlike the modern ''Idol'' or ''The X Factor'' television franchises — which are presented as singing contests with public votes — the original 1999 New Zealand series of ''Popstars'' was presented as a documentary. It looked at the formation of a modern pop group from the auditions through to the first released single. There was no public vote – the five group members were decided by a panel of music industry experts. ''Popstars'' creator Jonathan Dowling licensed the series concept to production company Screentime in Australia, who the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NZ Idol
''New Zealand Idol'', also known as ''NZ Idol'', was the New Zealand version of the Idol series originated as the hit British TV series ''Pop Idol''. New Zealand first saw the ''Idol'' format when TV2 aired '' American Idol 2'', which garnered impressive ratings. After ''Australian Idol'' also received good ratings in New Zealand, TVNZ decided to order the first season of ''NZ Idol'', which was broadcast on TV2. After the third season in 2006, TVNZ made a decision not to fund or broadcast a fourth season, thus placing ''New Zealand Idol'' on indefinite hiatus, with no plans to run a fourth season. NZ Idol was produced by South Pacific Pictures in association with Grundy Television and developed by Fremantle Media. Season one The show was hosted by TV presenter Dominic Bowden and the panel of judges consisted of Frankie Stevens, Fiona McDonald and Paul Ellis. The first episode was watched by over 1.15 million viewers. The competition was tough in the final few rounds of NZ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country by area, covering . New Zealand is about east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and south of the islands of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. The country's varied topography and sharp mountain peaks, including the Southern Alps, owe much to tectonic uplift and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, and its most populous city is Auckland. The islands of New Zealand were the last large habitable land to be settled by humans. Between about 1280 and 1350, Polynesians began to settle in the islands and then developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight and record New Zealand. In 1840, representatives of the United Kingdom and Māori chiefs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All Black
The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks ( mi, Ōpango), represents New Zealand in men's international rugby union, which is considered the country's national sport. The team won the Rugby World Cup in 1987, 2011 and 2015. They were the first country to win the Rugby World Cup 3 times. New Zealand has a 76 per-cent winning record in test-match rugby, and has secured more wins than losses against every test opponent. Since their international debut in 1903, New Zealand teams have played test matches against 19 nations, of which 12 have never won a game against the All Blacks. The team has also played against three multinational all-star teams, losing only eight of 45 matches. Since the introduction of the World Rugby Rankings in 2003, New Zealand has held the number-one ranking longer than all other teams combined. They jointly hold the record for the most consecutive test match wins for a tier-one ranked nation, along with England. The A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pita Alatini
Pita Faiva-ki-moana Alatini (born 11 April 1976 in Nukualofa) is a Tongan-born New Zealand rugby union footballer. Alatini is a midfield back who played in 17 tests for the All Blacks between 1999 and 2001, scoring 6 test tries. Alatini played 81 NPC matches for four different provinces ( Counties-Manukau, Southland, Otago, and Wellington), and 72 Super 12 matches for four different franchises (Crusaders, Chiefs, Highlanders, and Hurricanes). He has also played professionally in Japan for Suntory Sungoliath and Kamaishi Seawaves. Alatini is married to pop singer and actress Megan Alatini. His brothers Tevita, Anthony and Sam Alatini have played for the Tonga national rugby union team. Career overview Alatini moved to Auckland from Tonga as a child. He attended King's College, and played for the national secondary school side in 1993-94 and the national under-19 team in 1995. He played 30 matches for the Counties-Manukau NPC team in 1995–96, and five matches for the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frankie Stevens
Frankie Stevens (born Francis Donald McKechnie Stevenson), (born Wellington, 1950), MNZM, is a New Zealand entertainer and singer. He was a judge for all three seasons on the reality series ''New Zealand Idol''. He is the brother of singer Jon Stevens. He is of Scottish and of Maori descent. Early career He got his start singing in a band while at Heretaunga College. He began his career at the age of 16, when he moved to Sydney, Australia to join a group called "Peter Nelson and the Castaways". After several years of touring and recording with the group, he went solo. As a solo artist, his first record "My Elusive Dreams" in 1969 was a major hit in New Zealand.Frankie Stevens profile. The next year, he moved to London where he won the talent show '' [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
