Hi-5 for Tanika

The 21 year old was selected to replace outgoing member Lauren Brant after an exhaustive eight-month audition process, and her first test was a massive tour through Asia, where the group have rock-star status.

"In the Philippines, our fan base is ridiculous," Anderson said from the Starlight Express Room at John Hunter Children's Hospital, where she was visiting sick kids with the rest of the band.

"We did a show in SM Megamall, which is a mall over there, and something like 50,000 people turned up.

"We've experienced it all," she laughs.

Anderson, who lives in Sydney's Northmead when she's not on the road with the band, was familiar with kids performing before she scored the Hi-5 role, working as a singer and dancer at Universal Studios in Singapore after training at Sydney's Brent Street performing arts school.

"Then straight into Hi-5," she says.

It was "weird, but cool" as she got used to her celebrity role, a transition made easier by her friendly co-stars.

"It's been incredible, the cast are like a family," Anderson says. "We spend our time singing in cars and eating snacks."

When they play Newcastle Panthers on January 22 as part of their Hi-5 House Hits tour, their young fans can expect some of the band's best-loved songs.

"There's a magical song wheel, and what happens is the audience get to spin the wheel and choose what song is next," Anderson says.

"So there'll be lots of singing, lots of dancing and obviously lots of laughs.

"The kids have so much fun every time we do a show. It'll be really fun."

Hi-5 play Newcastle Panthers on January 22.