Television gold for busker

Rotorua’s Nev Rolston, 19, competed in singing show Homai Te Pakipaki on Friday. Photo / Ben Fraser

A local musician may have missed out on winning $20,000 on national TV, but the 19-year-old says the experience was priceless.

Rotorua busker Nev Rolston appeared as a semifinalist on the singing competition show Homai Te Pakipaki before a live audience at the Maori Television studio in Auckland.

In the semifinal he went up against Harata Tau-Kata, Tahi Paenga, Taupae Connelly, Arihana White and wildcard Charlotte Melser for a chance to go into the grand final and take away the $20,000 prize package.

Tau-Kata and White were the winners, taking first-equal place and ensuring their place in the grand final which will be held at the end of the month.

Tau-Kata sung an Etta James classic I'd Rather go Blind, White sung Stevie Wonder's Master Blaster , while Rolston chose to sing Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.

"I grew up with Louis Armstrong and Josh Groban and things like that, all the old-school era of music instead of the now time," Rolston said. "That's where my musical background comes from."

Rolston said despite his loss in the competition, the whole experience had been amazing.

"When I first heard I had won [my heat] I was stoked, over the moon," Rolston said.

Rolston had friends and family in the audience.

-Homai Te Pakipaki is on Fridays at 8.30pm on Maori Television.