First-year School of Music student Eden Roberts hasn't always been a singer. The young songwriter and recent X Factor finalist only started singing when, at 16, she developed a repetitive strain injury from playing the guitar.
Eden, who is studying a Bachelor of Music majoring in Popular Music at The University of Auckland, says what felt like a disaster at the time, forced her to focus on her voice and use it as her instrument.
The eighteen-year-old started classical piano lessons at six, going on to also learn guitar, harmonica and cello. She says her family aren't particularly musical, but are creative in other ways - her father is a poet, and both her parents have been incredible supportive of her decision to pursue music as a career.
The former Western Springs College student says she was really fortunate at high school to have Margaret Robinson as her music teacher. "She was really enthusiastic and encouraging."
Eden, who is an inner city resident was originally encouraged to audition for X Factor by a family friend. Having made it into the top 13 finalists before being eliminated she was delighted to have got so far in the contest and says "X Factor was an amazing experience. All the contestants, judges and crew were so inspiring. It was a really good journey."
When she finishes her Bachelor of Music degree she hopes to earn a living from her music through song writing.
"Eden is one of the new wave of talented songwriters studying in the Popular Music Programme. She is an imaginative and gifted young musician. Her level of commitment and creative depth is unusually high for someone so young" says Lecturer Stephen Matthews, co-ordinator of the Popular Music Programme at the School of Music.
The talented singer songwriter had fellow students with her in the competition. John Cabana and Fletcher Mills from the School of Music also took part in X Factor. Fletcher, who is yet to be eliminated, is a first-year Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance (Piano) student and John Cabana is a first-year Bachelor of Music (Popular Music) student. School of Music graduate Grace Ikenasio was also a contestant. Fletcher and Eden were also both finalists in The University of Auckland Songwriter of the Year: Schools Competition in 2012. They both placed second equal on the night.
The University of Auckland's National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries comprises the School of Architecture and Planning, Elam School of Fine Arts, the Centre for Art Studies (CAS), the School of Music and the Dance Studies Programme.