Pāpāmoa College Swifties shake off disappointment of their favourite artist skipping New Zealand on her Eras Tour by forming a tribute band set to play at Totara Street next month.
Sunkissed Taylor Swift tribute band members from Pāpāmoa College: Front L-R: Tamara Du Toit (16), Stella Riley (15), Videl Harrison (14), Taylah Medeiros (16), Cybele Chapman (14), Back L-R: Kurt Somervell (Teacher), James Ferns (16). 15 February 2024 Bay of Plenty Times Photo / Alex Cairns
The venture, dubbed Sunkissed, combines the talents of five Bay of Plenty teenage Swifties and one boy and is the brainchild of the band’s drummer – a music teacher whose tastes lean more towards Rage Against the Machine and Tool than teen pop.
Disappointed Swift was not bringing her Eras Tour to Aotearoa, and unable to make it to Australia to see the superstar in concert, the band are bringing her music live to fellow Swifties, 16-year-old singer Taylah Medeiros said.
With two gigs scheduled at music venue Totara Street in Mount Maunganui the weekend of March 2 and 3, the band have been busy preparing songs from all Swift’s albums, with multiple three-hour rehearsals weekly, plus individual practices.
Tickets for the Sunday show were already in short supply, with the first three releases sold out.
Pāpāmoa College music teacher Kurt Somervell says the band’s strength lies in the talent and experience each member brings to the group.
Taylor Swift performs onstage at Tokyo Dome in Japan. Photo /Getty Images
Cybele Chapman, 14, Stella Riley, 15, and Videl Harrison, 14, sing and play guitar, and performed together in last year’s Rockquest. At the same competition, Taylah and bass player Tamara Du Toit, 16, performed in a different band. Several of the band members write their own songs, with some of their work available on Spotify.
The five girls already had a repertoire of at least 10 Taylor Swift songs before joining Sunkissed, and grew up listening to her music.
“I just really love singing Taylor Swift songs,” Taylah says. “Since I’m singing backup vocals, I get a lot of freedom with which bits I want to accentuate … and I’ve listened to her songs since I was tiny.”
Pāpāmoa College students perform as Sunkissed - a Taylor Swift tribute band.
From Tool to Taylor Swift
Knowing the girls were already performing these songs busking around the Mount, Somervell said it was a natural progression to bring them together and take it to the next level by forming the band and putting on a “proper show”.
Enlisting musical theatre performer James Ferns, 16, on lead guitar and getting behind the drums himself, the 45-year-old said the music was quite a departure from his regular fare of Tool and Rage Against the Machine, but he is fully committed and can often be found in the music room at lunchtime “blasting Taylor Swift”.
With a handful of gigs played around town already, they loved the buzz of performing live.
The shared energy between band and audience is "pretty cool". Photo / 123RF
With so many singers in the band, the front three positions are rotated regularly to ensure each gets a turn in the spotlight.
Somervell said the vibe of the three girls up front was infectious.
With several enthusiastic teenage girls attending previous gigs, the band say there’s been a lot of dancing and screaming along to lyrics.
“It’s pretty cool when the audience has the same energy as us,” Stella says.
More than music
The band were learning what was necessary in putting on a live show, such as financial considerations and stage presence, Somervell said.
The head of music at Pāpāmoa College, Katrina Daniela, says that as individuals and students, the group was dedicated, motivated, and willing.
“These guys are just amazing and I think they already show that professionalism and drive that sometimes you don’t even see with people a lot older,” she said.
Biggest asset’
Both Katrina and the band members credited Kurt with being their biggest asset. He would go above and beyond – organising gigs and giving of his own time, they said.
Despite the hours of rehearsal required, these musicians said they were more than happy to commit, all for the joy of performing and their love for Taylor Swift.
Taylor Swift performing live. Photo / Michael Craig
“We adore her, she’s like a mother figure,” Taylah says.
