Viva finds Voice for lost loved ones

The Voice's Viva Lale has recorded a song that she wrote about tragically losing her cousins in a house fire.

The Voice Australia contestant Viva Lale on stage. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

The Voice Australia contestant Viva Lale on stage. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

Relatives of The Voice Australia contestant Viva Lale .. Jeremiah Lale and Viva Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

Relatives of The Voice Australia contestant Viva Lale .. Paul Lini and Viva. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

THE last time Viva Lale sang for her cousins, Lini Paul and Jeremiah, was at the teenagers' memorial service, a five-hour tribute to the music-loving brothers and nine other family members lost in Australia's worst ever house fire.

Then she stood grief-stricken and numb with pain just days after the Slacks Creek tragedy of August 2011 which robbed the young men of their futures and took the lives of Lale's aunty Neti and her five children.

Almost two years on, the 26-year-old songbird realised their dream for her by taking to The Voice Australia stage and sharing the gift for singing they had championed before they died.

It was not to be result they had imagined for her, with none of the superstar coaches turning their chairs, but the determined singer from Goodna, near Brisbane in Queensland, told News Limited her dream and theirs will live on long after the reality TV show.

While other unlucky contestants came from the stage in tears, Lale says she took great pride in making that moment happen for herself.

Fans of the US series of The Voice before their shock deaths, Lini Paul, 16 and Jeremiah, 18, had urged their favourite cousin to audition for the first Australian season when it was announced.

"They passed away two months before auditions started for The Voice and at that time I wasn't really ready, but this year I knew I had to do it," the account manager said.

Overcoming her natural shyness, Lale says she felt compelled to live her life with renewed purpose after losing so much.

"I know how precious life is...I know it sounds corny, but it's so true. I could bear (losing) one, but six at the same time has been really, really hard. The only way to get through it was to remain positive. It would have been such a waste of another life if I sat there and did nothing," Lale said.

"That's not the life they wanted to live, that's not what they wanted for me either. I know they would want me to be happy and do what I love to do and that's sing."

Her cousins had big plans for their lives too: Lini Paul was the "clown" aiming for university; while 'Jerry' loved rugby and wanted to play for the Queensland Reds.

But just after midnight on August 24, those ambitions were extinguished after the two-storey home they shared with their aunty Fusi Taufa and her extended family at Wagensveldt St, Slacks Creek was destroyed by a blaze that would shock Brisbane's Samoan community and beyond.

Sharing her memories of that black night for the first time, Lale recalls turning into the street, where emergency vehicles were crowded around her cousins' house.

"It was like a scene out of a movie. The flashing lights and as I realised the house was still burning I just took my hands off the steering wheel and covered my face," she said, blinking back tears.

"I tried to walk (towards the house) but my legs just buckled out from under me. It just wasn't real."

Walking onto The Voice stage was a woman transformed.

"I was not going to sit there on my butt and wait for the moment," she said.

"People do a lot of waiting, instead of doing it and I don't want to be one of those people."

So she didn't win through to the battle rounds, so what? It's not life or death to this focused, talented performer, who has been booked to perform regular Sunday sessions at Brisbane's Southbank and begins recording her first EP this week.

"As soon as I hit that stage I wanted to cry, tears of happiness that I made it. That was my ultimate goal and I feel in myself that they were with me."

Perhaps the emotion of her audition song, Mariah Carey's heavenly reunion anthem, One Sweet Day, got the better of her, but as Ricky Martin remarked: "you have six angels on your shoulder, (you will) go out and do it."

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Justin Timberlake's music still loved

The latest celebrity and entertainment headlines including Lil Wayne leaves the hospital, Timberlake launches new album and Princess Diana gowns fetch 1.2 million dollars at auction. Lindsay Claiborn reports.

• Justin Timberlake debuts at number one with new album
• Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have third number one single
• Album of the week: Justim Timberlake 20/20 Experience

JUSTIN Timberlake's comeback has been given the fan seal of approval with new record The 20/20 Experience smashing straight into No.1 on the ARIA charts.

Already tracking to be one of the biggest selling albums in the world this year, Justin Timberlake also made big leaps on the singles charts with Mirrors jumping 14 spots to arrive at No.12 and the album's first taster Suit and Tie back up to No.30.

Justin Timberlake may be Jay-Z 'daddy'

The 20/20 Experience has achieved gold status after just one week, with more than 35,000 copies out in the market.

Musician and actor Justin Timberlake revealed on Twitter that he will be releasing new music.

The love for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis continues unabated in Australia with their third single Can't Hold Us claiming No.1 on the ARIA top 50.

Chart expert Gavin Ryan reports Kylie Minogue was the last artist to have all three first single go to No.1 - Locomotion, I Should Be So Lucky and Got to Be Certain, 25 years ago.

Boss fever generated by his current Australian tour has also spurred fans onto to acquire more Bruce Springsteen releases with his Collection: 1973 to 2012 jumping up to No.8, Wrecking Ball re-entering the top 50 at No.16, Born In The USA at No.41.

Justin Timberlake's album return goes straight to number one on ARIA charts.

Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball tour hits Melbourne

Another tourist reaping rewards on the charts is the legendary folk artist Rodriguez, the subject of the cult documentary Searching For Sugar Man.

That soundtrack arrived at No.25 off the back of his shows last week, the Cold Fact album leapt to No.30 while another record Coming From Reality is rising through the top 100.

Justin Timberlake has issued an apology over a video shown at his wedding of homeless people sending their good wishes.

Ed Sheeran's triumphant Australian tour also pushed his debut record back up to No.3.

Justin Timberlake Video Playlist

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Eva Mendes loved looking 'unsexy'

Eva Mendes plays a haggard, single mum in The Place Beyond the Pines. Picture: Splash News Source: news.com.au

A tattoo-covered Ryan Gosling on the set of The Place Beyond The Pines in New York. Picture: Thelonius / Splash News Source: news.com.au

EVA Mendes wanted to look as "unsexy as possible" in The Place Beyond the Pines.

The stunning actress stars as downtrodden single mother Romina in the upcoming crime drama, alongside boyfriend Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper.

The 39-year-old star was so dedicated to the role she embarked on a strict diet to transform her body.

"I lost about 15lbs [7kg] for the film because I thought it would add to her sense of being a little lost or sadder" Mendes revealed to The Sun.

"I wanted her to look like she had gone through a lot in life and look as unsexy as possible."

Eva, regularly hailed as one of the most beautiful women in the world, wanted to challenge director Derek Cianfrance's opinion of her in her audition, so took some drastic steps.

"I went kind of Jersey Girl on him. I looked like s**t. Most of the time when you go to an audition, even if it says the role calls for a non-glamorous look, you put on a little concealer or something," she explained. "But this time I wore almost zero make-up."

To complete the transformation Mendes used some cheap beauty product to help her get in character.

"I bought this old-school hair gel, Dep - it costs like a dollar - and I wore this dark, dark eyeliner. That was the only make-up I used," she explained.

"I just went for the look I thought would suit the character and Derek could see my dedication."

Eva started regaining her curves as soon as filming wrapped as the stick thin Hollywood image doesn't interest her. Similarly, the brunette finds men who are obsessed with their appearance a turn-off.

"I've gained most of the weight back because that was a lot for me to lose. I don't like the hard and toned look," she explained.

"Beauty can be boring in some ways, especially if you're with a guy who is focused on his looks all the time. I know a lot of actors who are totally obsessed with creating a certain look, whether it's very polished or very street. I definitely don't need that in a man. A real man doesn't fuss about his appearance."

Mendes and Gosling, who met while filming the upcoming flick, are said to be getting very serious, with Eva admitting recently that seeing her real-life beau playing a father onscreen has got her thinking about her own future.

"He's really good [with children]. He loves babies and he loved playing with the little boy we used in the film to play our son," she told The Sun of the 32-year-old hunk.

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