It was "mission accomplished" for Benson Wilson as he took out the 2016 Lexus Song Quest.
All four singers - Wilson, a baritone, tenor Filipe Manu, soprano Madison Nonoa and bass-baritone Tavis Gravatt - who made it through to the final held recently at the Auckland Town Hall, had been heard previously in Hawke's Bay while competing in the annual Aria Competition held as part of the Easter Festival of the Napier Performing Arts.
Wilson took the top prize after being placed second in 2014.
He began his singing career when a pupil at Havelock North High School where he studied with singing teacher Elizabeth Curtis who guided him to win the 2011 Hawke's Bay Young Musician of the Year. Then in 2015 he won the Aria Competition in Napier.
Speaking on Radio NZ Concert, head judge Yvonne Kenny said Benson stood out for his "assured" performance and "beautiful, honey-like" singing. "He's on a fantastic pathway," she said, "with his plans to study at London's prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama now boosted by his prize of $20,000 cash and $30,000 for study and travel".