Former Rotorua musician Seth Haapu is booked to open pop star Adam Lambert's only New Zealand concert at the Trusts Stadium in Auckland this weekend.
Haapu found out he had the gig on Wednesday and announced it on his Facebook page saying, "Just got word that I'm supporting Adam Lambert this Sunday!!".
Lambert, a former American Idol contestant, has millions of fans and his concert venue seats 5000 and is fully booked.
Haapu is a former Rotorua Boys' High School student and top 30 Australian Idol finalist. He still regularly returns to Rotorua and his music career is taking off. He was signed by Sony Music in June last year and had recorded an album at Neil Finn's Roundhead Studios by December.
In April this year, he and his partner and young son left Wanganui to be based in Auckland. His first single, Bones, was released in March and a second, Stereotype, is just starting to get air play.
Its video was filmed in Melbourne, and the album is due out early next year.
In the meantime, it's the young singer/songwriter/musician's job to make an impression. And he seems to be doing that. He will open for Boh Runga's band Stellar in Wellington on Saturday and will then fly straight to Auckland in time for the 4pm stadium soundcheck on Sunday. He has also been booked to open a three-venue series of winery concerts for Crowded House in February.
Haapu has a weekly half-hour gig at Auckland's popular Sale St bar/restaurant and has been signed by Vodafone to appear and sing at events.
The talented singer has been playing at breast cancer awareness gigs with his Auckland band.
Opening for Adam Lambert is "the most exciting, coolest thing" that has happened so far, he says.
Lambert has been labelled the first openly gay mainstream pop artist to launch a career on a major label in the United States.
He was the centre of controversy on the Malaysian leg of his tour where local rules forbade him kissing his male co-performers.
Protesters stood outside his concert waving placards.
Haapu says he's not bothered that Lambert is gay.
In fact, his latest single, Stereotype, is all about ignoring preconceptions and being open-minded.
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