Teen’s inspiring song on track for Olympics

Jaz relying on votes to be selected

ALEXIA JOHNSTON

 

JOHN BISSET/FAIRFAX

GOLDEN GUITARIST: Jaz Paterson, 16, of Geraldine, wants her song performed at the London Olympics.

Geraldine teenager Jaz Paterson is in the running for a place at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Jaz, 16, hopes to be jetting off to London for the Olympics in July to perform a song she wrote, called Run, at the opening ceremony.

Jaz’s song was shortlisted in a nationwide Olympic songwriting competition, but now she is relying on public votes to get her song to No 1. Her song is one of 10 selected from around New Zealand.

“I entered it just on a whim. I thought I may as well give it a chance.”

She had intended to enter well in advance, but other aspects of her life got in the way, forcing her to leave it with just days to spare.

“I’d been thinking about going in the competition for a couple of weeks, but [then it got to] three days before it closed so I wrote it quite quickly.” She said the song is about supporting the athletes who will be representing New Zealand in London.

Her mum, Kay, was impressed with her daughter’s success and her ability to capture the true meaning of representing New Zealand in her song. Mrs Paterson said the song emphasised New Zealand as a small nation, but capable of anything.

“We can show the world what we’re made of and be up there with the big guns. I think Jaz has captured that in the song.”

Jaz was flown to Auckland in December to meet musician Mike Chunn and to record her song in a studio.

She said being shortlisted was exciting.

“I was really actually quite surprised. I was thinking I don’t know what sort of a chance I will have and was really surprised when I got through to the top 10.”

Music has been a part of Jaz’s life since a young age. She started learning the piano when she was 4 and started writing songs and learning guitar when she was 13.

Now she hopes her next accomplishment will include a trip to London to sing for millions of Olympics followers.

To listen to Jaz’s song and to vote go to http://www.facebook.com/nzolympicteam?sk=app-164057746984086 and click on the “songwriting” link.

From: http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/6243848/Teens-inspiring-song-on-track-for-Olympics

To listen to Jaz’s song and to vote go to

http://ww w.facebook.com/nzolympicteam?sk=app-164057746984086 and click on
the “NZ 2012 contests link” and then the “songwriting” link.

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