“Around 100 people auditioned,” said judge Nic Manders. “I think they were all exceptionally brave.”

Midnight Youth lead vocalist, Jeremy Redmore was also a guest judge at the festival’s third talent quest.

Fiona McIntyre, a 2011 finalist, was back, to give it another shot singing an original song. “It’s a song that I wrote based in Isaiah. I want to write music that is glorifying the Lord and is contemporary,” she says.

Saxophonist Matt was also not a stranger to the competition. “I auditioned one other time playing the guitar but it didn’t go so well so I thought I’d try a different instrument. It’s trumpet next year,” he says. “I’m just going to bust out a bit of a tune, toot a bit on stage and see how it goes. It’ll be good fun.”

Although Matt played his saxophone while spinning on his back, Manders said the most interesting act of the day was some Samoan dancing.

The finals were held on Saturday afternoon in the Palladium. The winner, Sam Franicevic, got to perform his guitar act to 20,000 people at Mainstage on Saturday night.