Hawke's Bay singer wins at Smokefreerockquest

Napier Girls' High School student, Danica Bryant won the APRA Lyric Award at the Smokefreerockquest national finals in Auckland on Friday. Photo / Warren Buckland.

It is a classic case of "third time's a charm" for Napier Girls' High School student Danica Bryant who, for the last three years has won the Smokefreerockquest Hawke's Bay regional final, but never clinched the national prize.

However, this year, her songwriting proved worthy of the APRA Lyric Award at the national finals for her original song Dizzy.

"I was really surprised. I didn't expect it at all, but I'm really glad to have come away with the award," the Year 12 student said.

She didn't attend the final on Friday night, but found out two days prior. However, that didn't stop her anxiously watching the livestream for her name to be called.

Bryant wrote her song at the end of last year after the word 'Dizzy' stayed with her.

"It was stuck in my head and I could hear the hook of it. I based it around the idea that a lot of teenagers get into bad habits ... maintaining them and desperately trying to feel something through those bad things rather than doing the right things for themselves."

She believes songwriting comes naturally to her, having written more than 100 songs since the age of 12 and hopes to pursue it as a career.

"I absolutely love song writing. In general I like writing because I have always found words really interesting and such a cool way to express things but adding the way something sounds gives you that something extra."

Chris Mac (Six60), Dan Barrett (Racing), Anji Sami (She's So Rad), and Ross Flahive (ZM Content Director) were the judges on the night.

And $22,000 worth of equipment was won by the top bands and solo/duos, alongside the $25,000 already won by contestants at the regional finals.

With her $500 prize money Bryant wants to buy a banjo and learn how to play the instrument.

Napier Girls' High School Head of Music, Suzanne Purdy said to have won the lyric award three times in a row shows she is "consistently very good".

"She's a fantastic musician and has been working really hard for the last few years. It is such an honour for her to be awarded the top New Zealand award."