David Unwin / stuff
Singer-songwriter Charlotte McMillan from Palmerston North won the solo category at this year’s Manawatū Rockquest competition.
BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS: Talented singer-songwriter Charlotte McMillan of Palmerston North has been into music since she was old enough to remember it.
The 17-year-old student at Palmerston North Girls’ High School was named Best Solo Act in this year’s Smokefree Rockquest Manawatū Final last month. She participates in the video submission round and has the chance to be selected for the national final.
Josh Leamy-King of St. Peter’s College finished second. The Tangata Beats Award went to Stay In It from Palmerston North Girls’ High School, followed by MBS from Waiopehu College.
McMillan, whose stage name is CeCe, said she was surprised to win the competition the first time she won something. CeCe is her nickname and she finds it comforting on stage.
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After attending the school ball the night before the competition, she had a sore throat from singing, but was still happy with her performance.
She has been engaged in music for most of her life and has been recording, singing and playing the piano for years. She has been writing songs for about five years.
McMillan writes her own songs and is self-taught at the piano. She has never learned music and doesn’t like playing cover songs.
David Unwin / stuff
Charlotte McMillan has been singing and writing her own song for years.
Their genre is a “slow and personal” soul style.
“I’m trying to base it on what a lot of people can understand, and I’m trying to make it pretty broad.”
The song she sang on rockquest was Wildcard, an original song. To qualify for the finals, she had to make four appearances and hoped for success and a record deal if she won.
Music is something that she wants to get into and go as far as possible.
She is likely to be attending Queenstown Resort College next year and is also involved in programming and creating computer games.
The final of the Manawatū bands will take place on June 25th at the Globe Theater, with 14 bands participating.
The best regional bands and solos or duos will submit footage for selection as finalists for the national finals in Auckland in September.