While Covid-19 has temporarily clipped the public performance wings of rising Westport country artist Jaydin Shingleton, his single has hit the top of New Zealand's on-line charts.
The single Damn Love only went live on iTunes on Friday night.
"When I woke up, it was at No 1 and it stayed there through to Sunday," he told the Greymouth Star.
Yesterday it was still riding high, at No 3.
Its staying power has been a lockdown boost for Mr Shingleton, who would have finished his first national tour and been planning for his time on stage at the country's newest country music event, Top Paddock, which was to have been held on May 23 in Gore.
"When Covid-19 struck I was on tour with Australian artist Judah Kelly on his 'Feels like Home' tour."
Three shows in they decided to postpone the remainder of the 17-show national tour, which should have included performances in Westport and Hokitika.
"It was my first tour and Westport was heading into lockdown as I got home. So I have been making silly videos on Facebook to keep people entertained, and now I'm back to work in level 3."
The musician's day job is as the projectionist and lighting and sound technician at the NBS Theatre in Westport.
"I've already been creating with a local here and I have some songs down and am making sure they are up to standard.
"I had plans to move to Australia later this year, but Covid-19 stopped that."
The 21-year-old said Westport was his home and he loved his job, but he found the prospect of being a full-time musician tantalising.
After all he is no stranger to the stage, having won the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards, along with the competition's Gospel, male vocal solo and country rock sections and, combined with Ainsley Allan, the duet section.
He was runner-up at Gold Guitars in 2018 and immediate runner-up in 2017. He had competed at the awards for seven years before finally taking home the top prize.
In June last year he won the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year Award at the Norfolk Island Country Music Festival.
"Winning the awards gave me the motivation to think, 'maybe I can do this, I can give it a go.'"
Mr Shingleton said it was "crazy" that everyone was mad about Damn Love.
"I think I would like to go to Australia and do music full-time. But it's a hard industry, very tough, but it can be very rewarding."
Music had been part of his life since he was about four years old, he said.
"My family has all been around music, so it's really cool, and my nine-year-old brother has taken up singing. We start them young," he said with a laugh.
- By Helen Murdoch
