• Photos from the Auckland Auditions
• Auckland Auditions Stories

Yippee! I am so excited to have the new season start (funnily enough we get to hear Ben Lummis singing the TV2 theme song before the show starts).

Dominic reminds us that 1.5 million watched the final last year, then Ben won a Tui for "They Can't Take That Away" and his album went double platinum.

Dom welcomes us back - more contestants, more cameras, more pressure, more hours of television (more episodes??) this year.

Dom says the judges will be meaner and tougher than ever.

Frankie says a guy slaughtered a song. Paul tells some girl it's not a mime show for primary school children! Frankie says he won't be as tolerant this year. "So get it right, or I'm coming at ya!" says Frankie.

Jackie wants to be entertained. Man we get to hear some awful people to start off with.

Dom asks the contestants who they're afraid of the most - Frankie and Paul are mentioned.

Keshia, 20, with curly short hair sings "I will love you so for always" (Atlantic Star) with a friend on a guitar, to a round of applause by the rest of the crowd. For the judges, she sings "Natural Woman" and is through to the next round!

Warren, 26, has an interesting performance... it's more like talking than singing though. Paul thinks he sounds so angry. Acting, but not singing says Paul.

We get to see Blair (his photo is in the photo albums), decked out in his wetsuit and knee pads. Hilarious! Paul thinks he'd win first prize in a freak show.

Lance, 18, sings "Shoop Shoop Exhale" and gets through!

Sera, 17, from Hamilton sings "This little light of mine" - Paul's surprised how sassy her performance was and says yes. Frankie says she's loud for a "little thing" but doesn't agree. Jackie doesn't agree with "Buddha" and says yes. She's through!

James, 17, from Taupo (a girl!) is a little nervous and forgets her words.

Some guy gets called "pitiful" by Paul.

Michael from Rotorua, 16, distracts Jackie by touching himself!

Lots more crazy auditions. Paul says one girl has failure on tattoed on her forehead!

Taupua, 21, from Kaitaia is really tall and sings in an interesting style. Hilarious! Frankie says he puts a lot of energy into his performance, Ka Pai but it's Ka Kite Ano!

We get to hear some guys rapping, beatboxing and chilling out before their audition.

Sally, 21, Whangarei, gets into the Top 60 rapping and beatboxing. She's really funny! Then she breaks into singing nicely at the end.

Infamous Liz does some presenting on the show for Dom.

1736, unnamed, cannot sing at all. Neither can the ones after her... awful, awful, awful. Hayley, 1183, tries singing "Lean on me" and is really upset when she doesn't go through.

Liz (do a search for Liz on the site... there's plenty of reading material), 19, sings Malibu. It's hilarious. Jackie says it's not singing by any description. Frankie's cracking up. Paul says there's no talent there at all - not presenting or singing. He then hassles her dress sense. Paul says she's wasting their time. Liz swears her head off as she leaves. Bye, bye Liz.

Wow, Paul even says to piss off to one person!

Nik, 1071, sings "You should let me love you" (Mario). Jackie says she's in love, and all the judges want him in! They think he's got the whole package.

Krystle sings Angel and gets in!

We get to see some others getting through but we don't get to hear them audition or know their names.

Carlie Howe, 20, sings "Black Velvet" and impresses Paul with her performance but he's not sure if she should go through. Frankie says no. Jackies likes her voice and says yes. It's up to Paul... after a long wait, Paul says yes.

It's the end of the first day of auditions and Dom shows us people sleeping in their cars for the second day's group.

Day 2: Dominic says over 2000 people lined up yesterday.

Lots of nervous people waiting to go in to see the judges.

Victor, 17, is really nervous. He's going to sing "Somewhere over the rainbow". He's got a great voice but is really shy. They make him sing for a long time (he even has a blue tongue!) Paul doesn't know if he has the stamina and says no. Frankie likes his voice and doesn't mind the shyness and says yes. Jackie heard a note choice that was original and says yes!

Telu and Frank get through.

Jesse, from last year's comp is back. He's desperate to get through again. He sings "Be yourself" (Audioslave) and the judges love it - he's through! He's the first rock voice they've come across.

Laura, 22, Auckland, is scared of Paul. She can't sing "Let go of yesterday". Paul says she can't sing and singing is not her option in life. The girl comes out crying - her opinion of the judges has completely changed. She's going to make a voodoo doll of Paul!

Clark, 16, wears a funky hat. The judges have some reservations but he's through.

Niki, 23, Hamilton has lots of piercings is freaked out by Frankie's stare. Dominic wishes him good luck. He's singing "Word up". There's a moment of silence - he doesn't get through.

A Michael-Murphy clone - with matching hair - Jamie, 16, from Auckland sings - and much to my surprise, the judges say yes.

Daniel has an incredibly high voice... Paul's really rude. Jackie says he doesn't have a pop voice.

Rosita, 23, from Auckland sings "I have nothing" (Whitney Houston). Paul is really impressed that she pulled off a Whitney Houston. They joke about her being hungry for her audition.

The judges think this year's lot are better than last year's. Next week: Wellington and Christchurch auditions.