Our original long-haired schoolgirl pop star was Shona Laing, who burst onto the scene via the TV talent show Studio One, and an arresting performance of her Henry Fonda-inspired song 1905. In 1973 the regional news show Newsview profiled Laing, as a 17-year-old seventh former at Hutt Valley High. Laing was a shy interviewee and her school mates were unsure what to make of her success. But American singer Lobo - who she had been supporting on tour - was effusive in his praise. The item also features spine-tingling acoustic versions of 1905 and Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly.
You can see the Newsview Shona Laing profile here:
![Newsview - Shona Laing profile](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/5KFSRYTJHPZ6H5BPHX2U2IA2XA.jpg?auth=2ebd49999ee3ab07d3ec9878c5ae9a09471d03d6be91a7348d436d3b6b61b82f&width=16&height=5&quality=70&smart=true)
Respected singer-songwriter Bic Runga also began her music career while she was still at school.