Ngawara Madison
When speaking to Ngawara it can be hard to remember that she is only 21 yrs old. She loves to talk, and talk she does about trips to places far a field as
"I think that's why I like being a singer so much. It’s the only job where your work actually benefits from you travelling to far and distant places, falling in love with foreigners, and living on the edge! No experience is bad if a song can come out of it!
I feel like there really isn't anything out there that scares me anymore. I went to
Ngawara was born in
The name was given and before her second birthday, Ngawara's family moved back to
In a story that reads more like a Grimms tale than an artists bio, Ngawara's strong name rang true, and the once tiny baby grew up healthy and strong-minded. As a student, she excelled in almost everything she took on. From academic studies and school sports, to foreign languages, and music classes, there seemed to be no end to Ngawara's enthusiasm and natural talents.
A nun at her primary school who picked her out to sing at a Church service first spotted talent. She was 7. From that first performance Ngawara was at ease with a mike in her hand, and an audience at her feet. During her school years she would go on to sing in a nationally prestigious Opera Chorus; win Nationals with her high school chamber choir; sing in the award winning Bel Canto girls choir; and perform in numerous productions and stage shows.
Ngawara attended
However despite her obvious musical talent and dedication, it wasn't until aged 16 and on a French exchange trip to the
Ngawara had been helping to teach some of her fellow students a few English Christmas carols, so when she was called up on stage in front of 2000 students at the annual Christmas Fete [ for the biggest school on the island] she didn't think twice about 'helping her classmates along'. Once she got to the stage and was handed a mike, the other students ran off, motioning from backstage for her to "Chante! Chante!"
Ngawara launched into an a’cappella rendition of 'Winter Wonderland' and brought the packed auditorium to their feet, becoming a bit of a local celebrity in the process.
Less than a year later, with that memory in mind, a 17yr old Ngawara waved goodbye to her friends and family and boarded a plane to Europe with a one way ticket and a will to succeed in the cut-throat music industry.
That solo trip was the first among countless others and this travelling is what Ngawara believes has helped her to grow up into a strong young woman, very independent and self-secure.
Over the next few years, Ngawara balanced studying with recording appointments in
She travelled a lot, singing in Scandinavian Beer Halls and British pubs, in the honkytonks and bars of Tennessee; a night on the London West End; Westminster Cathedral; and even busking on the streets of Dusseldorf, Germany.
Back in
Since late 2005, Ngawara has been spending a lot of time writing and recording in '
She returned to the
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