She will launch her first album, Long Nights, Flightless Birds and Coming Home, next week at The Find and credits singing competition Songstars with helping bring it to fruition.
Having taken part in this year's competition in April, she met sound engineer Paul Inger, who has a recording studio at Lake Hayes, and Margaret O'Hanlon, who introduced her to various musicians.
''It was just invaluable,'' Ms Reed said of Songstars.
''I'm normally not a competition person ... but it was just brilliant in terms of finding the musical people in Queenstown and meeting people. It was also a lot of fun.''
She has been in Queenstown since 2008, aside from a stint in Franz Josef, and her day job is driving buses for Shotover Jet.
''It gives me time to think - I've composed a lot of songs on that bus.''
Although not new to music, she recently began to make it a priority after Queenstown's offerings - such as rock climbing - had taken her attention away from it.
She remembers singing with her dad when she was 5, ''then I was in my first live performing band when I was 12'' when she was living in Tasmania.
''It was an all-girl rock band and we actually played some pretty big venues too,'' she said, including a World Aids Day concert in Tasmania.
''I've passed through all the genres now.''
Looking to the future, she hopes to find a band to go on tour with.
''I've been lucky to play with some amazing people, but I really want to find some people who will do it full-time and hit the festival circuit.''
Joining her for the launch of her album will be a seven-piece band, including a trumpet player, violinist and cellist.
''The launch [will be] the whole album plus a little secret extra.''
• The launch of Long Nights, Flightless Birds and Coming Home will be at The Find bar on Shotover St on December 7 from 8pm.
