Local piano man to sing for Whitney

CLASS ACT: Whitby singer Shaun Preston will be opening for Whitney Houston at a single show in New Plymouth as part of her 'Nothing But Love' tour next month.

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A local musician hopes sharing the stage with an A-list entertainer will open many more doors in his burgeoning career.

Singer-songwriter Shaun Preston has been picked to open for American pop diva Whitney Houston when she heads down under for a single show at TSB Bowl of the Brooklands in New Plymouth on March 6.

He says in some respects, landing the gig was a case of the old "her people rang my people".

"My agent was approached by the [New Plymouth District] council and asked if I could put together some of my music to send to Whitney's management. She only wanted original music, no covers, and she was the last one to sign off on who would be playing, so she must've liked the music."

Preston says he has always been a fan of the diva and the transition from listening to his mother's Houston CD in the car on family trips to warming a crowd up for her will be an exciting experience.

No stranger to big crowds, he has performed at the NZI Sevens many times.

"It's the smaller crowds that worry me more. I played in the Piano Bar in Wellington and Charlotte Church was next to me and Prince William was at the other end of the room. That scared me more than performing with Whitney."

Preston, who lives in Whitby, says New Plymouth is special to him because it was where his career took off.

"I have quite a large following in New Plymouth [because] when there was a tornado there in 2007 I got in touch with my agent and we decided to put on a benefit concert for the victims and it sold out the hall there."

From humble beginnings, he now performs at summer festivals around Europe each year and has also taken his talents to Australia and Thailand. Until the March concert he will be busy with gigs in Australia promoting his debut album, to be released in May.

- Kapi-Mana News

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