Senior Superstar grandfinalists: David Rigg and Glenda Lutzke
ELVIS Presley impersonator David Rigg and singer Glenda Lutzke have been friends for years and have entered many of the same talent competitions.
But they never imagined they would one day compete against each other before an audience of 1600 people in the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) Concert Hall as part of Seniors Week.
Yet this Sunday, in the Senior Superstar Brisbane grand final, the Capalaba pair will perform against each other and 11 other grand finalists, for top place.
Senior Superstar is Australia's largest talent contest for people aged over 55, and David and Glenda each progressed through an audition, a heat and a semi-final to earn their places under the grand final spotlight.
David, who has always loved Elvis music, said being in the grand final would be "like a dream come true", albeit a dream he "never really dreamt" until recently.
After attending a fancy dress party as Elvis about three years ago, where his "mimicking and fooling around" like the music legend prompted party guests to encourage him to develop a show, he began doing half-hour shows at private parties as an amateur.
"I mimed at first, then when I got some confidence, I did some karaoke," he said.
"Then I entered and won some competitions and my partner suggested I take singing lessons, and I did."
A production manager for an car accessories company, David said he now had eight different Elvis costumes, which had been specially made for him.
In his semi-final performance earlier this month, he sang Rock a Hula Baby from the 1961 Elvis movie Blue Hawaii, and his partner, Susie Brennan, danced the part of a hula girl.
He said he hoped to win on Sunday.
"I'll perform my best and leave it in the judges' hands," he said.
Similar to David's musical journey, Glenda's also included success in karaoke competitions.
She is a member of the Donald Simpson Centre Theatricals troupe, has won Toogoolawah's Rave talent awards twice, and has two songs nominated for an award in this year's competition.
With her husband Robert, Glenda operated the Rainbow Rockers rock and roll dance school at Cleveland Bowls Club for 15 years, which is where she and David, who attended as a pupil, first struck up their friendship.
Glenda said although she never imagined she would perform at QPAC, she had always loved singing and dancing.
At the semi-final, Glenda wowed the judges with the Connie Francis song Where the Boys Are.
She said although she was "a bit nervous" about the grand final, she would take her singing teacher's advice and "just imagine I'm in the lounge room at home, singing away".
"Whatever happens, I'm happy to have reached where I have," she said.
"It's a bit scary but I'm trying not to look at that side of it."
The Senior Superstar Brisbane grand final will be held at 1.30pm on Sunday at QPAC's Concert Hall.
A limited number of tickets are still available.
Tickets are free, but bookings are essential through qtix on 136 246.