Young star attunes to new-found fame

Twelve-year-old Fletcher Oxford has achieved things most others his age can only dream of.

The youngster has appeared in the finals of a national television talent show, released signature T-shirts and has recorded and now released his first single.

Fletcher shot to fame when he placed in the finals of New Zealand's Got Talent last year and dedicated his songs and all his music to runaway cat Sushi.

Since then his life has been a whirlwind of gigs at community events and recording his debut single Everything to Me which was released on iTunes at the end of March. "For that single, it took us about three days of recording. There's quite a lot of work that goes into it."

Fletcher recorded the self-penned song in Auckland. Everything to Me, like all of Fletcher's music, is inspired by Sushi - who he still has not seen since she disappeared from his Oropi home several years ago. "People say 'can you play that Sushi song?' if they don't know its actual name."

Fletcher said he loved performing at different gigs and events over summer and the performances had helped grow his fanbase. "It's good. Since I came away from New Zealand's Got Talent I'm quite a changed person, just the way I hang out with my friends and my hairstyle, everything's changed about me.

"I'm a lot more popular these days at school. Everybody seems to know my name but to my mates, I'm still Fletcher."

Fletcher said he would not know how well the single was selling for several weeks when he and his parents would get a report. "I hope I'll be happy when I read that letter."

For now, Fletcher will keep on writing, singing and playing for his fans in between school and homework.