MAKING IT IN TINSEL TOWN
Multi-talented Aussie performer Laura New has quickly carved out an exciting and varied career for herself in Hollywood
LAURA New performs for hundreds of Gold Coasters every night in the Broadwater Parklands cabaret Blanc de Blanc.
But that’s only a small number compared to what the LA-based Aussie dancer is used to.
Ms New is a case study in Hollywood success: she’s been featured on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, had a top 10 dance single with pop group BG5, danced with the likes of the Black Eyed Peas and made it to the semi-final of America’s Got Talent.
“I went to LA about eight years ago just to visit a girlfriend but she suggested I go an audition for a tour,” New said.
“I didn’t have any representation but I booked it and I’ve been working there ever since.
“The work there is plentiful – TV, commercials, film – you can do what you love full time, which I struggled to do as a performer in Australia.
“(But) I love performing here on the Gold Coast. Blanc de Blanc is a lot of fun.
“It’s a smaller venue so you have to work hard (and) read the crowd and know who to play off.”
Ms New is no stranger to the spotlight, frequently being snapped by American paparazzi with her “bestie” Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame.
Hudgens, who boasts a cool 27 million Instagram followers, has a rumoured net worth of $10 million.
“Vanessa and I have been friends for a while now, she’s amazing,” she said.
“The paparazzi are usually hiding, so there’s been a few times when we’ve left the house and she’s had to wear a different wig.
“It’s not fun to be around it because of that.”
Just as her dance career was taking off, Ms New was chosen to become a member of American pop girl group BG5, put together by producers Rock Mafia who have written 38 top 10 singles for the likes of Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber.
“We signed to Hollywood Records which was super exciting, we went to London with our single that made it onto the top 10 dance charts and put out a song with Vanessa Hudgens,” she said.
“It was a rollercoaster at times, it was like, ‘OK we’re going to do this song, wait no we’re going to give that song to Britney Spears ... wait, Miley Cyrus wants that song’.
“Kris Jenner was actually good friends with our manager ... we went round for dinner at their place and that’s when Kris was talking about getting into music.
“We were on their show and the (producers) give you plots ... they were like ‘you’re going to go in now and you’re going to tell Kris she can’t be a music manager’.
“It was a lot of fun, the girls were really lovely.”
Ms New said it wasn’t her only experience on reality TV after dancing for up to 14 million Americans every week.
“I danced for a company called Freelusion which did 3D video mapping on America’s Got Talent,” she said.
“We didn’t know how far we would get, the audition was in LA, then we spent a lot of time in New York and got to dance at Radio City Music Hall.
“We made it to the semifinals then they brought us back to perform at the grand final.”