Wairarapa’s locally owned community newspaper
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020
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Meg’s got talent Hayley Gastmeier Listening to Meg Hunter sing, it’s hard to believe the Carterton teenager is just 14 years old. She’s adventurous in her vocal range and the words she sings are her own, yet they sound as though they’re written by someone older and wiser. The Kuranui College year 11 student is chasing her dream of being a singer-songwriter, with the ambitious goal of releasing her debut album later this year. “I’ve been singing since I was really, really young,” she said before stepping up to perform at the Carterton School Gala last Friday night. “I started playing piano when I was 10, and at the start of last year I started accompanying myself on piano.” Meg was the 2019 winner for Talent Wairarapa in the 14 Years and Under category. She won the competition with her first original song, Orchard in a Matchbox, written specially for the event. After making it into
the semi-finals with her performance covering Pa’lante by Hurray for the Riff Raff, the judges encouraged Meg to come back to the finals armed with an original song. The teen was up for the challenge and hasn’t stopped writing music and lyrics ever since. “A lot of the time, it’s just whatever comes first to my mind and comes out on the page. “Then I edit it and put it with music and chord progressions – whatever sounds best usually.” Meg said her lyrics mostly came from the heart. “I kind of use cryptic metaphors a lot but yeah, they tend to be personal.” Last year, Meg spent an hour in a recording studio while on a family holiday on the Gold Coast. Here, she recorded four songs in an hourlong session. “I wrote those within the span of four days before I went away. We did about five takes a song. “It was pretty crazy.
They’re unproduced, just straight live recordings.” Meg said pursuing a music career would be a dream come true, but if that didn’t work out she might look at doing something in the humanitarian sector. “I love the emotion that is tied in with music, and I love how creative and free it can be. “Sometimes,
I get a creative rush and just get a notepad and that’s how it works for me. Sometimes, it could be other artists – amazing melodies or lyrics and that can be inspiration to start writing lyrics.” Born in Melbourne, Meg moved to Carterton when she was a baby with her old brother and Continued on page 10
Meg Hunter performing at last year’s Talent Wairarapa. PHOTO/JASON IRELAND
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