Organiser Nicky Viggers said 10-act shows would be held this Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Arrowtown's Athenaeum Hall and were "seriously stylish and well-produced".
The musicians, selected after auditioning, would be competing for $1000 and the chance to professionally record their own song.
Ms Viggers said earlier the contestants had been consulting "hair people, make-up people and costume people" and had been having rehearsals with back-up bands.
The competition had broken into its second year after last year's inaugural event, won by Queenstown's Katy McNeill,was a success.
Finalist Renata Rubini, originally of Brazil but living in Queenstown, described her genre of music as "a bit folk" and said she wrote the song she will be performing in 2009.
"Because I'm from Brazil there's influence of Brazilian music, [it] could be folk for us here," she said after the helicopter ride.
While she admitted the onset of inevitable nerves, it was "a good nervous, not like the ride just now".
Nicole McLean, part of the show's only duo, said so far it had been "amazing to work with the band and to hear the song come to life".
She and duo partner Willy Williams play in covers band Swamp Donkey and had been wanting to do something extra when Songstars came along.
Contestants were in the hands of the audience since their votes would determine the overall winner over the three nights.
While the audience make or break sounded nerve-racking, Ms Rubini said she felt like she has already won because of the experience so far.
"For me it's about the journey, the process, and the people I have met, like Margaret [O'Hanlon], and just to be involved.
"For me, if I win it's awesome, but if I do not win that's awesome too."
Tickets, $40 for adults and $20 for children, are available from i-site in Queenstown.
