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- Shepparton Teenager Strikes
Top Notes on Norfolk Island
Photos show Briana Lee with her
award and out touring the island.
Talented young Victorian singer Briana
Lee scored an international music award and $10,000 in prizes when
she visited Norfolk Island for the annual Norfolk Island Country
Music Festival last week.
Briana, 18, of Shepparton, finished ahead of seven other
performers from Australia and New Zealand to win the island's 12th
annual Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year Award.
A graduate of Tamworth’s Camerata Music College, Briana started
singing at the age of 10 and is keen to use her award as a
springboard for a big career in country music.
Boyfriend Dean was on hand on May 23 to see Briana take out the
top Norfolk Island award, which included $4000 in cash, $5000 in
recording time at PVG Productions studios in Auckland and $3000
worth of publicity for the recording from new sponsor, ABC Music.
ABC Music’s Marketing Manager, Libby Bain, said she was amazed at
the standard of contestants in the Norfolk Island Country Music
festival.
“I went across not having heard of any of the contestants and not
knowing what to expect from the event,” she said. “But the island
is just beautiful, the quality of the music was extremely high,
and Briana is a dynamic little talent who we look forward to
helping get started on what’s bound to be a very successful
country music career.”
Norfolk Island Country Music Association president Jackie Pye said
she was delighted with support received from the ABC, given its
impact on music in Australia.
“We suspected we were onto something really important in country
music with the festival, but gaining this sort of recognition and
discovering great talents like Briana and the other contestants
really motivates us to promote and grow the event even more.
“Competition was again very stiff this year, but Briana is a
stand-out talent and deserved the decision of our three judges –
from Australia, New Zealand and Norfolk Island,” Ms Pye said.
Runner-up to Briana in the Trans-Tasman Entertainer of the Year
Award was Kimberley Bowden of Tully in Queensland, while Victoria
Edwards of Dubbo NSW took home the Norfolk Island Country Music
Association Encouragement Prize. Kiwi Neil McKenzie Hall received
the Dead Ringer Band Encouragement Award.
Ms Pye said next year’s Country Music Festival would be held on
the tiny island, 1600km north-east of Sydney, from May 27-June 4,
2007, with details soon to be posted at
www.nicma.nlk.nf or email
Jackie Pye on
nicma@norfolk.net.nf
• Photos show Briana Lee with her award and touring around Norfolk
Island.
Media Contacts:
Bill Gray MG Media Communications 02 9904 0011
Issued: May 30, 2006
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CAMERATA GIRL CHAMPION OF VICTORIA
Briana Lee with Bill Chambers at The Pub Tamworth 2003
Talented Shepparton singer/songwriter Briana Lee has just won the
Victorian Champion of Champions competition at the Mildura Country
Music Festival.
Briana came home with an impressive 10 awards, cash prizes & guest
appearances at the Tamworth Country Music Festival & the
prestigious Trans Tasman Entertainer of the Year May 2006 in
Norfolk Island.
The 18 year old placed 1st in Senior Country Rock & Senior Duet,
2nd in Senior Vocal & Open Instrumental & 3rd in Senior Australian
Vocal at the Top of the State Talent Quest Saturday 24th & Sunday
25th September. But the awards didn’t stop there. She then took
out senior Over-all Winner & Grand Over-all winner from a field of
very talented singers & musicians from all over Australia & New
Zealand.
From placing 1st & 2nd in the sections qualified Briana to compete
in the Victorian Champion of Champions on Monday 26th September
against winners from other Victorian talent quests & finalist in
the Top of the State talent quest.
For the finals of the Victorian Champs the Notre Dame College
student who is currently preparing for her Year 12 exams sang a
Patty Loveless song “Blame it on your heart” & a heart felt
rendition of the Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody”. She took
out Open Female award & the notable Victorian Champion of
Champions title.
# # #
For further information contact Briana on:
briana_lee@hotmail.com
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COUNTRY GIRL
- ANTHEM SINGER
AT CINZANO
- AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND
PRIX
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VICTORIA'S
PHILLIP ISLAND
Regional Australia’s biggest sporting
event is setting the scene for a promising young singer from
regional Victoria to perform on the world stage.
Teenager Briana Lee Brassil from Shepparton in northern Victoria
will sing the national anthem at the 2004 Cinzano Australian
Motorcycle Grand Prix, to be held at Phillip Island on October
15-17.
Briana Lee, 17, is already making a name for herself around
regional festivals and shows, but now she will get the chance to
perform in front of tens of thousands of spectators at the Phillip
Island Grand Prix circuit, plus millions of television viewers,
both in Australia and around the world.
To top it all off, she will perform on the starting grid just
metres from a field of 24 MotoGP riders and their machines,
including superstar Valentino Rossi, minutes before the start of
the big race.
“It will be the biggest thing I’ve ever done,” said Briana Lee, a
Year 11 student at Notre Dame College in Shepparton.
“It’s going to be an all-new experience. I’ve never been to
Phillip Island and I can’t wait to get there and to sing on the
grid.
“I think I’ll be nervous but I won’t let it get to me.
“My biggest problem at the moment is finding something to wear!”
Nicknamed “Shirley Temple” as a child for her blonde ringlet curls
and angelic voice, Briana Lee was 11 when she really started
singing.
“The first gig I did was at a primary school fete,” Briana Lee
said. “My parents didn’t even know I could sing, so I think they
were pretty surprised.
“Since then I haven’t stopped singing.”
Indeed, a recent performance of the national anthem was with her
proud family in Shepparton when her cousin, Brett Lancaster, won
Olympic gold as part of the Australian men’s cycling pursuit team
in Athens.
Naming country singers Patsy Cline and Kasey Chambers as some of
her influences, Briana Lee was thrilled to be invited to perform
at the closing ceremony of this year’s Tamworth Country Music
Festival.
Other achievements include awards for best ballad and best female
vocalist at the 2003 Kool Skools national recording project,
winner of the Telstra “Road to Tamworth” Shepparton heat – where
first prize includes a trip to Nashville, USA, to record a single
- and performing the national anthem at Melbourne’s Rod Laver
Arena for the Australian Supercross Masters.
Briana Lee Brassil will sing the national anthem at the 2004
Cinzano Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Victoria's Phillip
Island.
Picture copyright-free for editorial use, courtesy Australian
Grand Prix Corporation
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Kirsty Nicholls
Publicity
Australian Grand Prix Corporation
www.grandprix.com.au
Tel: 03 9258 7125 Mobile: 0417 774 192
Fax: 03 9682 0410
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