NZ's Got Talent auditions hit Wellington

Singer and guitar player Legalo Tumana, 16, poses before auditioning for 'New Zealand's Got Talent' at Wellington Girls East College. Photo / Getty Images

Singers, dancers, jugglers and bagpipers made their way into a quiet high school hall this morning for the chance to show off their two minutes of talent at the New Zealand's Got Talent auditions.

Open auditions for the New Zealand talent show, mirrored off the popular and successful international talent show format, have been held around the country since the end of April.

Today, wannabe talents braved a blustery Wellington day to show off their skills at Wellington East Girls' College.

Hopefuls sat quietly in the school hall waiting for their number to be called before they were whisked off to a separate audition room.

Sixteen-year-old Legalo Tumama was anxiously waiting outside the hall for her mother to arrive before braving the judges with her guitar and singing combination.

Some were practising their dance routine, but many were huddled quietly, with a reassuring pat on the shoulder from supporters to keep the nerves at bay.

But for one band, nerves weren't an issue.

The members of Boy Republic - Tom Hollow, Sam Notman and Eradyn Watson - decided to enter the competition earlier this year, but only got together and practised their performance last night.

"We're just going to rock up and see what happens," Hollow said as they made their way to the sign-in desk.

"This is a bit of fun."

The group - which describes its sound as pop rock - was not worried about the potential hours-long wait to show off its two minute set and its members planned to get out their guitars while waiting in the queue.

"We're pretty rowdy and love entertaining people."

But for 11-year-old Emma-Lee Bryant, the month-long wait now to find out if she had made it through to the next round was pretty nerve-wracking.

The singer felt like she gave it her best as she stood on the white x and belted out her tunes for two minutes, but admitted there was some nerves swirling around.

"I felt a little bit nervous," Emma-Lee said as she left the audition hall.

Open auditions still have to make their way to Napier, Hamilton, Rotorua, Tauranga, Whangarei, before ending in Auckland on June 9.

Successful performers will find out by email if they have made it through to the next round on June 18.