Kiwi in global contest to feature on Timbaland's album

Kiwi singer and musician Josh Leys has made it to the semi-finals of a global contest being run by American record producer and rapper Timbaland.

Leys is the only Kiwi among the remaining 120 contestants, whittled from about 20,000 hopefuls who entered the competition in March.

Five winners will feature on Timbaland’s upcoming album, with a chance to win up to $30,000 and get flown to Vancouver to meet the artist.

Leys told Afternoons he entered the contest on a whim and didn’t think much of it. He submitted his track, ‘Fire’, which he believed Timbaland could turn into a masterpiece.

“I feel like Timbaland could put his own spin on it.”

After getting through the first round, contestants were required to post on their social media asking the public to vote for them and promote the competition.

“You know that feeling when you’re sitting with an [Instagram] reel and you’re wondering if anybody is going to like it? And it’s normally your aunt or your mum who likes it first, and the second person to like it was Timbaland, and then he put it on his [Instragram stories for his] 4.2 million followers."

Eventually, Leys racked up so many votes that he got through five rounds and the quarter-finals.

“If I get to the next round, it’s Timbaland and I think it’s four other executive producers and engineers that are going to sit down and go through the 40 contestants and figure out the five people he wants for the album.”

The fulltime entertainer says it's a huge opportunity to feature on the album of Timbaland, who has collaborated with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott and Katy Perry.

“I’m up for the challenge. I’m in this small little place between Antarctica and Australia called New Zealand and I thought I’d give it a red hot go, got into this global competition and pushed really hard to get over the line.”

Semi final round voting ends on 29 May, before judges cast their votes and announce the winner.