Tauranga teen wins music comp

Fletcher Oxford on stage. Photo: Cormac Seymour.

A song inspired by a girl on a bus won the Bay of Plenty Smokefreerockquest solo-duo title for 16-year-old Fletcher Oxford at Otumoetai College on Sunday.

The Tauranga Boys' College student won with his vocals and guitar, but he also plays piano and sax.

'I've been playing music since I was about three and wrote my first song when I was seven – my family is quite curious as to where the musical talent came from,” he says.

Fletcher describes his music as honest, and dictated by melody and lyrics.

'It's all about the lyrics to me – when people can relate to the lyrics it makes the song more memorable.”

His winning song was called ‘Down the Line', and he is ‘absolutely certain' about making his career out of music.

Samantha McCutchan from Taupo-nui-a-Tia College placed second and Paras (Paraskevi Spiropoulos) from Bethlehem College was third. These three solo-duos now put 15 minutess of their best material together to submit for selection as national finalists.

The winners of Smokefree Pacifica Beats were Te Urewera from TKKM o Huiarau in Ruatahuna.

The band members are Puhikura Teka (vocals), Rangiwhaitiri Edwards (bass), Kirihou Teka (vocals), Rangiataahua Tawhara-Mita (keyboard), Manaaki Ahuriri (drums).

Spokesperson for the reggae-soul band, Puhikura Teka, says they formed only two weeks ago but have all been in bands before and had a strong message that they delivered in Te Reo.

'Our song was based on our land – where we live in Te Urewera – and was to encourage our youth from our hometown to be who they are and to know where they're from.”

Te Urewera will now also put 15 minutes of their best material together to submit for selection as Smokefree Pacifica Beats national finalists.

The 12 top bands will play off for the top two places and other awards at the Bay of Plenty final at Totara Street Performing Arts Centre on Friday June 30 at 7pm.

Tickets for the regional final are available from NZTix.co.nz, $20 adults and $10 students.

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