Before he became a chart-topping singer, Benny Tipene was a hopeful entrant on the first New Zealand series of global talent show The X Factor. For his audition in front of the panel of judges — including singers Stan Walker, Ruby Frost and Daniel Bedingfield — Tipene works his understated, folky magic on Outkast's 2003 party hit, 'Hey Ya'. It more than does the trick. Tipene would eventually come third; but he impressed enough to get signed by Sony Music and released a platinum selling solo album in 2013.
I think we may have found our first international artist. You just bring something so ... you, and awesome and cool. You're lucky you're skinny because if I wore that, man ... I would look like a cow.
– Judge Stan Walker likes the way Benny sings and wears tight pants