Ratoath singer set to battle it out in final of TV talent show this weekend

Ratoath singer Kevin Hartnett is set to battle it out in the final of the talent show ‘The Big Deal’ on Virgin Media One tomorrow, Sunday 10th October at 7pm.

Hosted by Vogue Williams, the brand-new format devised by Fox Entertainment has introduced a variety of talent from all across the country with each act trying their best to impress a celebrity judging panel featuring Boy George, JLS lead singer Aston Merrygold, comedian Deirdre O’Kane, breakout music star Lyra and Eurovision duo Jedward, in the hopes of winning a top prize of €50,000.

Speaking about the upcoming final this weekend the talented Ratoath singer said:

“I’m looking forward t it going out and seeing the reaction to it, I’m nervous but excited. It has been a fantastic experience, the crew couldn’t have been any better to us, I’ve done some of these shows before and you feel you are just a number, with this, they made you feel like you deserve to be there and that they wanted you there.”

Kevin said although performing in front of big names was nerve wracking he believes the support he has received locally has spurred him on to do his best. He added:

“I had belief in myself but then you see everyone else that you are up against part of you think well it’s just great to be here. I backed myself and I think I had the support from home as well that I could do it.

“I hadn’t performed in so long, with covid it had been about 18 months since I was on stage so with my audition there were nerves from start to finish when I got to the semi-final I thought I’ve proved I should be here by getting through and then you were going up against someone else so it was about enjoying it from there.”

The big ballad singer was scouted by producers looking for the next “big deal” as Kevin explains:

“I heard from a producer who was looking for a male singer and had seen a few things on my Facebook page and just asked would I send a video over that they had to send to producers over in America with Fox who were backing the show. They sent over a video of me performing “Defying Gravity” and they came back and said that they loved it and would be interested in having me on the show.”

Prior to the show, Kevin cut his teeth in the arts in productions with a number of local musical societies. He said:

“I’ve been involved with Ratoath Musical Society, St Mary’s Musical Society Navan and Trim Musical Society where I really learned my craft, they me a stage to perform on.

“I gigged for seven and a half years with a rat pack group so I would have sung all of the old Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy David Jnr numbers and I’d actually finished up with the group in November 2019 because I was working during the week and gigging two days over the weekend just got a bit much.

“I thought I’d take a bit of time out to think about what I’d do next be it going out on my own or doing weddings but then covid took that away from me as it did with many people.”

Kevin says his first taste at success came during his time as a student in Ratoath College.

“I started singing when I was about fourteen, I went to Ratoath College and we had the first ever talent show in second year and I was doing a comedy skit with a few friends for a bit of a laugh and I said to my mam on day I’m going to go in and audition on my own, and she said oh are you going to go in and do comedy on your own, and I said no I’m going to sing and I think she was a bit nervous because she had never heard me sing, I never really sang at home or sang at all before!

“I ended up winning the talent show and that was the very first time that I had performed in front of anyone!”