She was on the road again to Gore - and drove 12 hours back to Nelson with glittering cargo.
Isobel Stevens was crowned best overall junior at New Zealand's coveted country music event, the NZ Gold Guitar Awards, at King’s Birthday Weekend.
“I was very excited, and for a second I didn't even think it was me, I thought there might have been another Isobel,” the 12-year-old says, recalling the announcement.
“The whole thing was so unbelievable and very unexpected because there was such good talent down there.”
Enamoured with the genre from age five after her Nana Jenny took her along to Club Waimea, the now 12-year-old has thrown her cowgirl hat in the Gold Guitars ring for four years.
Her country rock performance of On a Mission by Trick Pony and her gospel rendition of In the Garden by Anne Murray struck a chord with the judging panel, earning her the top junior honour.
“I love getting on stage and having fun — and being surrounded by other country musicians,” she says.
“I love country music because it brings people together… and I love how, when I sing country songs, I can see the effect it has on people — from happy to sad, even seeing people crying.
“It’s so important for me to keep singing country music because I love it.”
Isobel looks up to Lainey Wilson, Dolly Parton, and Miranda Lambert for their musicality and storytelling, along with New Zealand country star Kaylee Bell and Richmond’s Maddison Connor, who was crowned best intermediate artist at the 2025 Gold Guitars.
Maddison’s mother Paula is also Isobel’s tutor and she will be picking her brain to ensure a smooth road to the southern hemisphere’s country music holy grail - the Tamworth Country Music Festival in Australia next January.
Isobel secured an invitation to Tamworth as part of her Gold Guitar prize package.
That package also included $750 cash, and an acoustic single recording at Southland’s premium school of music, a professional-grade microphone, and a guitar valued at $1800 - a welcome addition after Isobel’s instrument recently went kaput.
She performed at the awards using Maddison Connor’s guitar.
