13-year-old Christchurch local and SOLE Music Academy student Monet Schutte got an early Christmas surprise when she performed in Austria and won an international songwriting competition.

Monet took to the stage in the Vienna Concert Hall in November and performed her original song ‘Like You Did Before’. Her amazing performance earned her a standing ovation and a win – the International Sounds of Children’s Rights Songwriting Competition.

Monet wrote and recorded the song with her mentor, Sacha Vee, at SOLE Music Academy, where she has been studying for the past two years. Monet entered the song in the competition and when it made the top 10, she then had two months to learn to accompany herself on the piano.

The Sounds of Children’s Rights is sponsored by UNICEF and is designed to address the topic of children’s rights in a musical form. “One of my friends unfortunately suffers with depression and so I wrote this song about how I tried to help,” Monet says.

SOLE Music Academy specialise in singing, songwriting and artist development. They work hard to help aspiring artists bridge the gap to a career in the music industry.

solemusicacademy.co.nz