Rotorua musician Alayna Powley has signed with a record label and is set to release her first single.
The 23-year-old former Western Heights High School student - who impressed at Rotorua's Lakeside concert in 2014 and 2015 - moved to New York last year to pursue her music career.
Whilecompleting a Bachelor of Musical Arts at Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand, (MAINZ) Powley finished an unofficial, self-titled, debut EP, Alayna.
"I released a couple of songs online from the EP, and soon was reached out to by Chad Hillard who owns the music blog Hillydilly," she said.
"We began talking back and forth about his new music label (20XX) and if I wanted to release my songs through there."
Knowing she was moving to New York, the song was written imagining being somewhere with so much noise, shutting the door and shutting everything else out.
"Forget all the anxieties of whatever's out there and just be able to undress yourself mentally with someone. I love to connect with someone; I love to be on the same wavelength and not skim the surface but go deeper."
Powley started performing at the age of 6.
"My dad heard me sing and that was that," she said.
"He played guitar and I sang at every talent quest/family event possible. Until he taught me the guitar and I could do it on my own."
Despite being shy and struggling with public speaking Powley said she found singing on stage the easiest thing to do.
"I loved singing and seeing people enjoy it or connect with it."
Having signed with 20XX Powley is excited about what comes next.
"He's given me the opportunity to release my music officially, work with some awesome people and give it the best shot on this side of the world, I'm so excited about it," she said.
