Twelve-Year-Old Auckland Singer Youngest NZer on Kiwi Charts

14 February 2013

Twelve-Year-Old Auckland Singer Becomes Youngest New Zealander to Place on Kiwi Charts

A 12-year-old Auckland soprano is making musical history. Tayla Alexander, who last year (at age 11) released her debut album, Songbird, has become the youngest artist to appear on the Independent Music New Zealand (IMNZ) album charts, and Tayla sits alongside some of the biggest, most established names in Kiwi music.

IMNZ Operations Manager Renee Jones says, “Tayla is a brand-new artist, and already she is ranking with heavyweights such as Kora, Six60, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Opshop. It’s a very impressive achievement for such a young singer making their debut.”

Last year Tayla signed with music man Roger Marbeck’s Ode Records, and her songs are garnering attention through social media and radio as far afield as the United States. In December, she performed Pie Jesu from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem in front of a 200,000-strong crowd at the iconic Christmas musical extravaganza, Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, and on Christmas Day she sang for the second year running at the annual Auckland City Mission Christmas lunch. She will perform at the New Zealander of the Year event on 28 February.

Roger Marbeck says of the young singer, “Tayla has already achieved more than a lot twice her age would dream of. She has a steady fan base, sales increasing daily and she is still only 12 years old . . . talk about a rising star!”

Songbird is available from Marbecks, JB HiFi and The Warehouse, and online through iTunes.

Songbird track list:

• Dark Waltz
• Jerusalem
• Amazing Grace
• Songbird
• Over the Rainbow
• Danny Boy
• O Holy Night
• When A Child is Born
• Ave Maria
• Let It Be
• Pie Jesu
• Hine e Hine
• Danny Boy (a cappella)

Recorded at the Boatshed
Producer: Bruce Lynch
Backing Vocals: Suzanne Lynch and James Gaylyn
Guitar: Dean Kerr

About Tayla Alexander
Twelve-year-old soprano Tayla Alexander began singing at four, and in 2012 signed a deal with Roger Marbeck’s Ode Records to release her debut album, Songbird. She sings in the classical crossover genre, and regularly performs for audiences at schools, churches and public charity events.

Tayla attends Northcross Intermediate School on Auckland’s North Shore, and studies with leading Auckland-based singing teacher Shelagh Richardson.

http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/taylaalexander (currently #1 in New Zealand and Auckland classical charts; #29 on global classical charts)
https://www.facebook.com/Taylasmusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/Taylasongs
http://www.classical-crossover.co.uk/artprofiles/489-tayla-alexander.html

ENDS

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