Popstars soul mates Skye & TJ ‘WE'RE ALREADY WINNERS!'

The singers reveal the special bond that means they trust each other with their lives

- Sebastian van der Zwan

They’ve each got a one-in-six chance of taking out the $100,000 on Popstars, but as far as contestants Skye Hine and TJ Zimba are concerned, they’ve already won the top prize by finding each other.

“When I first met Skye, she gave off this dope vibe, like she was some 25-year-old chick from New York,” recalls Dunedin musician TJ, 21. “I couldn’t believe it when I found out she was 16. Imagine being that talented! She’s ahead of her time.”

As for her first impression, the Tauranga singer recalls, “He was so cute. When he found out I was the youngest person on the show, TJ was the one who took care of me – and when we were asked to collaborate on a song, we became really close.

“We knew from that moment we’d be making music together for a very long time. He’s a super-compassionate person and I really value that.”

Adds TJ, “I’m pretty out there and I’m often a little too much for people, but she’s never judged me or made me feel bad for who I am. Right from the start, I knew I could trust Skye with my life.”

When Woman’s Day chats to the Popstars duo during a break from filming the TVNZ 2 series, they’re together at Skye’s home in the Bay of Plenty, where TJ is staying for 10 days. So far, they’ve written a song a day.

“We’re like whanau,” grins Skye. “He’s met the extended family and we’ve even made a song for my older brother, who paid us $500 to write a song about his cat named Dave!”