"Nah. I was already cool, eh. I'm still the same old Harmony.''
The 12-year-old Bathgate Park School pupil and Tawhaki band member won the Rock-solid Bassist award at the Rockshop Bandquest national final in Auckland recently.
He said the limelight usually fell on the lead guitarist in rock bands, but he believed his ability to play "slap'' bass guitar as well as "picking'', and his showmanship on stage, put him ahead of his fellow competitors.
He was proud to have been noticed by the judges and to have won the award for his school.
"It felt pretty cool.''
He said the band played "great'' on the night, and he himself, was "in the zone''.
Harmony plans to continue playing bass guitar, and dreams of one day playing on international stages and recording albums.
Now in its eighth year, Rockshop Bandquest is for bands of three or more members, up to year 8, who play a short set of covers or original songs.
There were 215 entries this year, 12 live events and an online contest for bands from outlying regions.
One of the judges, Chris Mac from Dunedin band Six60, said competing in the event was a "rockstar experience'' for the children.
"The amount of talent these primary and intermediate school students present is incredibly impressive.
"It is a very cool thing to see young Kiwi talent being nurtured along.''
The competition was won by Revolution Radio (Mount Maunganui Intermediate), second was The Elements (Avondale Intermediate) and third was 8 Melodies (Whanganui Rutherford Junior High School).
OTHER RESULTS
Best original song: New Zealand Revival (Ilminster Intermediate).
Best vocalists: What If (Hutt Intermediate).
Musicianship award: Leon Harman (Waimairi School).
Styles award: guitarist Tom Lawrence (Northcross Intermediate).
Guitarist award: Nathan Fullerton (Murrays Bay Intermediate).
Drummer award: Hekeawai McDermott (Casebrook Intermediate).
Keyboardist award: Hiromu Crosado (Chisnallwood Intermediate).
