12-year-old singing prodigy Georgia Baker-Trebilco has once again won the title of NZCMA's Entertainer of the Year, which was held at Rotorua's Civic Centre on Saturday 29th September.
Georgia qualified for NZCMA's Entertainer of the Year Awards in April this year, when she won the overall junior trophy and songwriter trophy at the Matamata Redstar Country Music Awards.
On Saturday night, Georgia said she thought she was hearing things when they announced she was the winner, as she felt the other contestants were all so talented. Georgia is ecstatic about being the guest artist at the 2013 NZCMA Entertainer of the Year. Having won the title she now stands down from the competitive circuit for a year.
Georgia expressed she had an ear for music at 8 months old and constantly sung as a toddler and preschooler. Her father Mark bought Georgia her first microphone at the age of 3, and music has been her guiding light ever since. Her singing and love for playing instruments
At the age of 8, Georgia won her first singing award and by the age of 10 she had won a range of impressive Country Music Awards; which lead to her winning the NZCMA Entertainer of the Year in 2010. Georgia then went on to be a guest artist at the 2012 Trans-Tasmin Country Music Entertainer of the Year, Norfolk Island. She has been invited to be a guest artist at the Tamworth Country Music Festival 2013.
So far, Georgia has had the privilege of singing a duo with international tenor Will Martin, and Australia's Country Music acclaimed artist Tamara Stewart. Georgia has also shared the stage with New Zealand singer Suzanne Prentice. She appears in many charity concerts throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato, including last years 'Carols at the Quarry', held at Tauranga's Te Puna Quarry, all of which she has enjoyed immensely.
Georgia's passion for music extends to her learning the piano, drums, guitar, taking vocal lessons and composing her own music. She is known through the Country music scene for her tremendous talent and vocals, her uncanny ability to lead the band and perform like a professional beyond her years. Band rehearsals can sometimes be a challenge as she can be quite shy, but to perform to a large audience she really knows how to put on the charm and suddenly transforms into a confident artist who owns the stage.
Georgia feels that the local and national country music scene has become part of her extended family. It has offered her a platform on which she can live her dreams of entertaining and singing. Although she loves what country music offers, she feels she is more like a country-crossover artist and enjoys performing pop, rock and jazz songs. Country music for Georgia today, as a pre-teen, is more about modern music like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and Carrie Underwood. Some of the old classics sneak in with a modern twist. She feels there is little difference between Rock, Pop and Country Rock.
Georgia is excited about what new opportunities arise as a result of her win.