Tauranga 16-year-old wins Bay rockquest

Tauranga teen Fletcher Oxford has won the Bay of Plenty Smokefreerockquest. Photo / File

A Tauranga 16-year-old won the Bay of Plenty Smokefreerockquest with a song about a girl on a bus.

Tauranga Boys' College student Fletcher Oxford took out the top spot in the solo-duo category on Saturday night.

"I've been playing music since I was about three and wrote my first song when I was seven - my family is quite curious as to where my musical talent came from," Fletcher said.

Fletcher described his music as "honest" and dictated by melody and lyrics.

"It's all about lyrics for me, when people can relate to the lyrics it makes the song more memorable."

His winning song was called 'Down the Line' and was inspired by a girl on a bus.

The Tauranga Boys' College student was certain about making a career out of music.

Samantha McCutchan from Taupo-nio-a-Tia College came second and Paraskevi Spiropoulos form Bethlehem College placed third.

The three finalists would put 15 minutes of their best material together in a video to submit for selection as national finalists.

The 12 top bands would play off for the top two places and other awards at the Bay of Plenty final at Totara Street Performing Arts Centre on Friday June 30 at 7pm. Tickets for the regional final are available from NZTix.co.nz, $20 adults and $10 students.

The 12 bands selected to go on to the final are:

3 Quarters Late - Bethlehem College
Jovi - Bethlehem College
The Good Stuff - Bethlehem College
Bare Knuckled - Katikati and Rutherford Colleges
B.I.A (Brothers In Arms) - Rotorua Boys' High School
The Harmonics - Western Heights High School
Twitch - Western Heights High School
French Doors - Otumoetai College
In The Resource Room - Taupo-nui-a-Tia College
Made Alive - Whakatane & Trident High Schools
Anastasia - Western Heights High School
Te Urewera - TKKM o Huiarau