Young performer strikes right chord at Tamworth

She travelled 2600km on her music pilgrimage but the road ahead is wide open for Bella Mackenzie

Bella Mackenzie is a Mackay musician making waves in the country music scene.

SHE travelled 2600 kilometres, weathered 40 degree days, drought and dust, brought home three awards, was nominated as a finalist for another three and met an idol.

It was all just a week's work for Bella Mackenzie.

On the first leg of a long journey home from Tamworth Country Music Festival, Mackenzie explained how good it is to be in the heart of country music.

"It was amazing. It was very busy; for 10 days you just do as much as you can and get as many experiences in as you can," she said.

Mackenzie said she performed in competitions, gigged with friends and watched live music.

Bella Mackenzie was awarded the CCMA National Junior Songwriter of the Year at the Tamworth Country Music Festival 2020.

She also took home a pile of awards.

The first was the Capital Country Music Association National Junior Songwriter of the Year - but that was not a complete surprise and the musician already knew she was in the top five. She didn't expect to take home the prize.

"There was an award ceremony and there I was named Junior Songwriter of the Year, which was pretty amazing," she said.

"I was very surprised. Lots of (songs from other competitors) were co-writes and I wrote mine myself. It was great to win that with no help at all," she said.

The accolades didn't stop there. More than 3000 people voted for her in the Toyota Country Music Busking Championships.

Mackenzie said she had a little help from her fans but a lot of the love was from people on the street.

"I had 3000 votes over the 10 days. Family and friends helped as well … but also just people who saw me on the street," she said.

At the competition, she performed a medley of popular Australian songs, which she said got the audience involved, and Nickajack - a song originally recorded in 1997 by the band River Road.

Among her other highlights was performing on the Toyota Fanzone Stage, the second biggest stage at the festival, and taking home the Hogs Breath Australia Junior Talent Award.

Bella Mackenzie performs at many gigs and competitions over TCMF 2020

It was a multi-heat competition with five performers in each round, and Mackenzie said it was a tough competition.

"There were probably nine heats throughout the 10 days and they choose a top finalist from each heat, and I ended up winning the final - also pretty cool," she said.

Mackenzie made it the final and grand final rounds of the Mount Franklin Junior Talent Comp, CCMA Junior Talent Comp and the FretFest Songwriter Competition.

Another highlight of the trip for her was meeting one of her long-time country music idols Blake O'Connor, who won the Toyota Star Maker competition last year.

O'Connor has been a massive inspiration to Mackenzie since she started on the country music circuit.

"He told me that I was the first person to ever sing one of his songs, which was pretty amazing," she said.

 

Singer-Songwriter Bella Mackenzie is a country musician at heart.

Catch Bella Mackenzie at the Eimeo Pacific Hotel on Valentine Days, February 14, from 6pm.

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