Sola Rosa to join Ash Graham at Backyard Summerfest

Sola Rosa join Wellington musician Ash Graham on the line-up for this weekend's Backyard Summerfest at Waikoko Gardens in Hastings.

Ash Graham is a one-of-a-kind musician whose drive to succeed has seen him perform on stages big and small.

On Saturday, he will deliver a selection of original tracks at Backyard Summerfest - his second gig at Waikoko Gardens.

The Wellington teenager previously wowed judges at Hawke's Bay's City Showcase, landing a sought-after spot at The Rhythm and Vines in 2013 for winning the competition.

It's not the only exciting development this young singer-songwriter has made in the past year - he also released an experimental EP to determine if his music was heading down the right track.

An overwhelmingly positive response from fans led to the development of a full-length album, featuring a more upbeat sound and progressive lyrics.

"It's a different genre, a true journey of where I have come from," he said.

While his family were not musical, growing up on a diet of MTV saw Graham hooked on the idea of being a star from the age of 4.

"I would see these bands on TV. I wanted to be like Chris Martin from Coldplay ... because I didn't have a background in music I think people were like, 'What? It's a phase, he'll grow out of it'.

"I didn't, I have always known, I think it must suck for people who don't know what they want to do with their lives."

The first step toward his goal was learning the guitar, which led to singing.

"At first, I wanted to be the next Jimmy Hendrix. I just wanted to be a guitarist but through playing in bands, I was taking a leadership role and ended up working on songs.

"People said 'you're quite good at this or that' - I expected a lot, so I would just do it myself."

Though only 19, Graham pushes himself to the limit, always keeping a busy schedule.

"I always hear the clock ticking. I think I feel like I have got a lot to accomplish and so little time."

Joining the line-up at Backyard Summerfest are Sola Rosa along with DJ General Lee, Jharmony, Devils Elbow and Jacki Houkamu.

Landing somewhere between funk, soul and jazz, Sola Rosa's music has found its way on to hit television shows such as Gossip Girl and continues to be popular.

The genre-defining act founded by Andrew Spraggon in 2001 has risen from a humble, self-released one man project, to a live collective of international repute.

Despite having returned from a recent tour of Europe, they were keen to get back on the road.

"I'm looking forward to getting in the car and travelling with the band to Hawke's Bay - it's going to be a lot of fun," he said.

The band's 90-minute set will feature tracks from all five albums, as well as Sola Rosa's soon-to-be-released sixth CD.

"I've been collaborating with lots of different musicians ... I'd like to have it finished by the middle of the year."Backyard Summerfest is held in Waikoko Gardens at Hawke's Bay Showgrounds, Hastings, and is a charity fundraiser for Stortford Lodge Rotary. Tickets cost $35, plus Ticket Direct booking fees.