Jessie Simon is one proud nan.
The Rotorua woman is the grandmother of the only South Island contestant left vying for the top spot on NZ Idol - Kali Kopae.
Kali is of Ngati Whakaue lineage. According to her nan, she has a great voice.
When she came to
Rotorua to visit as a child she could often be heard walking around the house singing, her grandmother said.
"Her voice was lovely to listen to.
"She'd be walking around singing to her heart's content.
"She's going to go places," Mrs Simon predicted.
Every Sunday and Monday night Mrs Simon and the rest of her family are glued to their television sets watching their talented young family member perform.
"We get all excited. Everyone sits around waiting for Kali to come on."
Last week Kali was named in the bottom two but hung on to her spot when Hamilton 16-year-old Ashlee Fisher was voted off the show.
Mrs Simon was in Auckland to watch last week's show.
She said it was a totally different experience from watching it on the small screen.
"It's an amazing experience. The judges are hard case and get on well with the crowd."
This is the first time Kali has entered a singing competition.
Her father Wally Kopae told the Daily Post his daughter had always enjoyed singing and after completing a Performing Arts Degree in Christchurch she had been involved in the theatre.
However, he was stunned but not shocked to find her ranked in the top eight on the national show.
"She isn't really the Idol type.
"She's a good actor and has done a lot of production-type shows at school and with the theatre. Then again, she has been singing ever since she was old enough to open her mouth ... when we used to put her to bed she'd be singing up a storm and I'd be banging on the walls telling her to stop singing and to go to sleep," Mr Kopae said.
Kali's family will be glued to the television watching NZ Idol's elimination show tonight, willing her to remain in the running.
