Up-and-coming 14-year-old Papatoetoe singer Reikura Boyd is one of the youngest performers to take part in the Stand Up Stand Out finals in Auckland on Saturday night.
The performing arts competition aims to inspire young entertainers to take their first steps down the path of a career that could change their lives.
Reikura is the youngest solo vocalist to take to the stage and it is her first time entering a performing arts competition. With a voice of gold, the audience is in for a treat.
“It’s so nerve-racking because there's all these other singers who have so much other experience,” says Boyd.
The Year 9 student at Aorere College says she was asked by her music teacher two months ago to take part.
“I thought about it for a few minutes and then just said yes, I figured I had nothing to lose.”
To make it to finals, she was chosen out of 240 performers at the qualifying heats, and made the top 40 at the semi-finals. Tonight, she will be one of 25 performers, singing a cover of the waiata Pray by Sam Smith.
“We chose the song because it shows off my voice, it shows off my high register and my low register,” she says.
“I’m mainly nervous for my low notes and my introduction.”
A new challenge of hers will be introducing herself in te reo Māori on stage, something she has been practising all day.
She says the Māori singer who inspires her the most is Stan Walker.
“I love Stan Walker. I think his journey that he has been through is so inspiring and how he's come out at the other end more powerful, and he just is filled with mana and I love that.”
But the closest thing to her heart is her whānau, who surrounded her with music while she was growing up.
“My favourite thing to do of all time is to spend time with my whānau. I love my whānau and wouldn’t be anywhere without them, she says.
“Most of us are based in South Auckland where we all live within 10 minutes of each other, so we're always spending time with each other.”
So tonight is only one stepping stone to what could be an incredible musical career.
“I'll take it as far as I can, says Boyd.
“I love the experience because I think once I'm older and I have got all this experience then I'll be more comfortable.”