Ballad of empowerment in songwriting award finals
A song inspired by the safety of young girls in the music industry has earned a Gore songwriter a place in the MLT Songwriting Award finals.
Folk singer-songwriter Jenny Mitchell co-wrote Trouble Finds a Girl with fellow musicians Tami Neilson, Chris Wethey and Tali Enjalas Jenkinson.
The song was about sexual harassment in general, but particularly in the music industry, Mitchell said.
When her younger sisters joined her on her last tour, she realised they were being exposed to situations that were not always safe. All of a sudden she felt like she had become a ‘‘mother bear’’ watching over them, she said.
‘‘My shows are like little folk singer-songwriter shows, and they’re generally really safe, but I think there’s lots of [unsafe] situations that get . . . normalised and the way that people get treated is just . . . normalised. Particularly women of all ages.’’
Neilson was one of her idols, and Mitchell was thrilled to have written the song together.
After feeling out different ideas, the song became a tribute to anyone facing a difficult situation, she said, encouraging them to feel empowered to fight back.
Mitchell also has a second song in the top 10 shortlist called If You Were a Bird, which she called a ‘‘happy little tune about new love’’.
Her father, Ron Mitchell, is also a finalist in the songwriting competition. Out of 117 entries, his own Tired as a Possum and his daughter’s two songs have made the top 10 list.
The concept of the award is to celebrate unreleased songs out of New Zealand and Australia. Only one voice and instrument can be used as an entry piece to show the bare bones of a song.
The Mitchells are veterans of the music scene. Both father and daughter have been finalists in the competition before and Jenny was the 2017 winner of what is now known as the Tussock Country Music Festival.
The pair agree that the competition between them has always been friendly.
Ron’s entry has a different theme. ‘‘It’s a tractor-driving song, really. Doesn’t sound like it from the title, but that’s what it turns into,’’ he said.
He knows the competition is tough, having heard his daughter’s songs. ‘‘All those other songs must be good to be in there too. Anything can happen,’’ he said.
All finalists will be performing their songs at the New Zealand Country Music Awards on June 3, at the St James Theatre in Gore.