Nelson teens make Rockquest cut
Nelson students are proving to be a hard act to follow when it comes to the Smokefreerockquest.
Two Nelson solo/duo acts were announced earlier this month, making it through to the next round.
Nelson College for Girls solo singer Estella Romagnoli and duo performers Ellie and Laura from Waimea College were included in a list of six national online entrants in the youth music event.
The performers are now required to enter four original songs, vying for a finalist spot with more than 50 others in the category.
The online opportunity saw 60 duos and soloists enter an original song submitted from singers who had also entered in the band division.
Year 11 student Romagnoli said she was ‘‘really, really excited’’ and ‘‘a bit nervous’’ about submitting four songs for the next round.
Romagnoli is also part of the band Equinox. While Equinox didn’t place in the regional heats, Romagnoli was awarded best vocals for her part in the band.
Ellianne Huxtable and Laura Koleff are also members of Relm, a band of four that placed third in the regional heats and has a chance of making the cut through a second chance video online.
Huxtable said she had been singing with Koleff for 12 years after meeting in church when they were four years old.
One of the Smokefreerockquest organisers and co-founder Glenn Common said the online entry for this division was still being trialled but it was already proving twice as popular with performers as last year.
He said the event liked to encourage students to enter in both categories as there were different skills required.
‘‘As a soloist there are things you need to do that you don’t necessarily need to do in a band. When you’re working in a band, there’s a whole thing of working with other musicians that you don’t necessarily need to do as a soloist.’’
At the end of July, the top 10 bands and 20 solo/duo acts will be announced before the top nine national bands and soloist/duo finalists are announced on July 31. The final will be held in Auckland on September 2.