First NZ Idol winner: ‘My kids have no idea I was famous’
The first New Zealand Idol Ben Lummis, is a manager at Jetts Fitness in Wellington even though he is a “little older and fatter”.
These days he occasionally gets mistaken for rugby player Sam Tuitupou.
But Lummis, now 41, was one of the most recognised faces, mobbed wherever he went after singing the winning song, They Can’t Take That Away , in 2004.
His runner-up Michael Murphy is in a band, Written by Wolves.
“Idol was one of the best times of my life,” Lummis told the Herald on Sunday.
“It was fun, challenging and rewarding. I have no regrets being the first idol. I wish I could relive it but that won’t happen again sadly.”
The born-again Christian met his wife, Megan, at the Arise Church and they married five years ago. They have four children: Justice, 12, Shanike, 11, Echo, 3, and Hozeia, 1.
Last year Lummis released a new song, Risen, and he is recording a new EP, which will be released soon.
“Risen was about my life journey, about not giving up my hopes and dreams and to do what you need to do.”
He said his daughter takes after him.
“She’s always singing and performing — it comes naturally to her. She and Hozeia walk around the house singing Risen but they have no idea who I was or what I did. My eldest has a bit of an idea. When they watch old YouTube clips they are proud of me.”
- Carolyne Meng-Yee