The Maori 17-year-old has albinism — a congenital disorder characterised by the absence of pigment that has left her with pale skin, blonde hair and blindness.
The Chilton Saint James School pupil, of Lower Hutt, is in Dunedin for the annual New Zealand Choral Federation Big Sing Finale, along with more than 900 pupils and support staff from the country’s top 24 secondary school choirs.
She said reaching the national final had not been an easy journey, given that she was a legally blind person trying to learn music for the national secondary schools choral competition.
"On a good day, my vision is about 6/60. That means I can see an object 6m away with the same clarity that you can see from 60m away.‘‘But because of teenage hormones, it can be generally a lot less.
"For all intents and purposes, my life is a blur.
"I can read music — just — but it has to be enlarged on to A3-sized paper so I can see it.’’Even though her vision is poor, her hearing and her voice are excellent.
"So I feel blessed to have them. It’s my main source of mental stimulation. I make up for what I can’t see with what I can hear."
She said even on her darkest days, music brought her a wealth of colour and imagery.
"Singing in the choir is just awesome.
"Hearing so much harmony come from so many people into one solid sound — that blows my mind every single time we rehearse.
"It’s like a comforting blanket that wraps around me. It also creates colours, mental images and emotions for me."
"Most people get that from seeing things. I get it from hearing things."
As well as singing, she plays several musical instruments, including guitar, which she has taught herself to play.
She said that it would be easy to let her condition define her and make her feel different, but being part of the choir had given her purpose and made her feel as if she was part of something important.
"Every single moment through this journey has just been mind-blowing."
Britnee is good humoured about her condition, and takes it in her stride by describing herself as "a very blonde Maori".
"It’s probably a little bit weird for other people when I go to the local marae.
"But I can’t see any of their facial expressions, so it doesn’t really bother me."
