Breathtaking harmonies: Women’s top barbershop quartet taking talents to international stage

The barbershop quartet known as Unlimited consists of (from left) Mehernaz Darukhanawalla, Helena Lister, Jill Rodgers and Kate Sinclair.

In an extraordinary triumph, the women’s barbershop quartet Unlimited has emerged as the champion at the recent national competitions for women’s barbershops, securing the highest score ever achieved by a quartet in New Zealand.

The quartet – two of whom are from Hamilton – formed in 2020 right before the national lockdown and has quickly become a force to be reckoned with in the realm of women’s barbershop singing.

All four members of Unlimited have many years of experience between them – 82 in total at last count – and came together by word of mouth and some shoulder-tapping. When these four singers sang their first song together, their voices blended seamlessly and some breathtaking harmonies were instantly created.

Jill Rodgers, who sings lead, and Kate Sinclair, the tenor, both live in Hamilton and coincidentally, or perhaps derivatively, Jill is the director of the men’s Mighty River Harmony Chorus, while Kate directs the women’s Waikato Rivertones Chorus.

Their expertise and leadership within these prestigious groups undoubtedly contribute to the quartet’s success.

Helena Lister and Mehernaz Darukhanawalla both live in Auckland and round out the quartet sound with their rich lower voices. Both Helena and Mehernaz are very experienced barbershop singers, bringing their expertise from many years of singing with medal-winning choruses and quartets and other singing ensembles over the past decades.

These four women say the exciting thing about singing together is how well their voices match to form a harmonious unit that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. And best of all is how well they all get on together, sharing many laughs as well as working hard together.

With their resounding recent victory, Unlimited will represent New Zealand at the upcoming Sweet Adelines International competition in Louisville, Kentucky this year. This opportunity will see the quartet compete against the finest quartets from around the world, showcasing their talent on an international stage.

The members of Unlimited hold a genuine passion for performing and strive to create memorable experiences for their audiences. The quartet is available for performances and concerts and can be reached directly at unlimitedacappella@gmail.com.

If you would like to support their international quest to Kentucky in October, the members of the quartet would be very grateful if you would visit their Givealittle page to help meet their upcoming expenses.