Clara Hoping To Live A Dream

http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/7916369/Clara-hoping-to-live-a-dream
7 November 2012 Marlborough Express

Clara van Wel is nervous.

The year 11 Marlborough Girls' College student is waiting to find out whether she has made it through to the next round of the TV1 show New Zealand's Got Talent.

She will have to wait until the results of public voting are announced on the show on Sunday night.

Clara, who is just 15, has been impressing judges Rachel Hunter, Ali Campbell and Jason Kerrison since showing up for her live audition in May. They have raved about her musical ability, particularly on Sunday when she performed her own song Between the Lines, based on the Jodi Picoult novel of the same name.

The trio seemed unanimous when they gave Clara feedback about her performance in the semi-final, saying she was well and truly headed for a recording deal. Kerrison even offered to sign Clara under his music label if no-one else took her on.

"If he's keen, I'm all for it," she said yesterday.

Clara has enjoyed the opportunity to do something she is passionate about with other like-minded people and see how she stacks up against other contestants.

"The best part is probably meeting the crew and everyone backstage and especially being able to play with a real band - that was just unreal," she said.

Rivalry was not a factor among contestants.

"It's more like people who are trying to fulfil our dreams, rather than us being adversaries," she said.

"Music has always been something I've loved to listen to and do badly when I'm walking down the hall singing to myself."

She has been singing "forever" and has played the guitar and written her own songs since the age of 10.

She has written 50 songs, mostly based on the books she reads.

"The songs I wrote when I was 10 were slightly more idealistic, like cute little love songs," she said. "Now they're becoming more and more related to the books I read."

Being involved in the show itself had been "amazing" but getting so far was even more so.

"I just want to say thanks to everyone who voted for me and supported me - and thanks Marlborough for being so fantastic."

Public voting closed yesterday for the semi-finalists who performed on Sunday. Twelve acts will go through to the grand final on November 25.