Zoe Jennings, 17, loves to sing so much she is aiming to raise $10,000 to work with Lorde's vocal coach Frances Dickinson. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Zoe Jennings, 17, loves to sing so much she is aiming to raise $10,000 to work with Lorde's vocal coach Frances Dickinson. Photo / Michael Cunningham
When Zoe Jennings went to a festival as a 3-year-old she told her mum she wanted to be a singer. Now, 14 years later, she is trying to raise funds to get vocal coaching from the same woman who coached New Zealand music sensation Lorde.
The 17-year-old has started aSpark Potential project, which works like Givealittle, enabling New Zealanders to collect donations towards their goal.
Miss Jennings' goal is to raise $10,000 to have a year's worth of vocal coaching with Frances Dickinson, who has worked with Lorde and Ruby Frost.
"Singing is my passion - I've always wanted a career in singing," she said. "Frances is really knowledgeable about the voice and how it works. When she was younger she didn't know how to use her voice and that's kind the same as me."
Miss Jennings loves alternative pop and folk and has been involved in a range of singing activities from choir to talent shows - she even wrote the Ngunguru Primary School song.
"I wrote a school song and to this day, five years later, they are still singing that song."
Miss Jennings said the opportunity to work with Frances Dickinson would help her take control of her life - when she was 14, she was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, which means she struggles to stand up.
"When I stand up my heart rate increases - I have to use a wheelchair if we go to town and if I have to walk around too long. If performing, I couldn't just stand up and do a lot of singing - I would have to really prepare for it, whereas others could just get up and sing." Miss Jennings has had a lesson with Ms Dickinson and said it was an "amazing" experience.
"I've had other singing lessons but I didn't click with the teachers. She was impressed because I got in contact with her and not many people do that, and she liked my voice."
The aspiring singer's goal is to perform worldwide, but for now she would like to build up her skills with the "best".
