YOUNG people battled it out on Friday at the Westbury Recreation Centre in Johannesburg during the Rising Stars talent show.

The show pits talented young contestants against each other in the dancing, singing and modelling categories.

The judges were Graeme Richards, anchor of e.tv's breakfast news and actuality show Sunrise, Scandal actress Lorcia Cooper and chief executive of Turning Heads (an agency that manages artists) Nonkululeko Ndlovu.

The MCs, Maurice Paige, who plays Calvin Xavier in theSABC3 soapie Isidingo, and Charl Timotheus, who played Ziggy in e.tv's Backstage, did not disappoint and kept the crowd entertained.

The star of the show was Nishaat Mangera, who won the singing competition.

She endeared herself to the judges with her rendition of Christina Aguilera's I turn to you.

Nishaat, 14, said: "I am so happy. I didn't think I would be crowned the winner."

She said she wants to follow a singing career when she's grown up. She also aspires to be a doctor.

Elri Mans of Revlon, sponsors of the event, said: "The standard was very high. There is undoubtedly a refreshing passion for this type of activity in this community."

She said Revlon did not pay any cash directly to Rising Stars, the company that organised the event.

"We instead pay for the printing of posters, pamphlets, security, photographers, prizes, make-up artists and gifts for the judges."

She said the winners and a number of contestants would be placed on a manicure and pedicure course.

"They will be provided with a start-up kit to enable them to earn money from doing manicures and pedicures in their communities," Mans said.