It should have been a time to celebrate this week, when songwriter Mahara Tocker's entry to the International Songwriting Competition won first place in its category.
Instead, she was mourning the loss of her older sister, fellow songwriter Mahinarangi Tocker, who died on Monday from complications following an
asthma attack.
Mahara, who lives in the Waikato, won the pop/top 40 category of the prestigious competition with her song In The Gully.
The song, from her 2005 album Hurricane's Eye, was produced by Split Enz keyboardist Eddie Rayner.
According to Mahara, In the Gully is about "having a crush on someone and how nervous, clumsy and comical this state of love can be".
Born in Taumarunui and of Ngati Tuwharetoa descent, both Mahara and Mahinarangi were immersed in music from an early age.
Mahara's biography describes her as "one of eight 'performing monkey' Tocker children" who were raised on a diet of musicals, Glenn Miller and Ella Fitzgerald.
Mahara was one of two New Zealanders to place in the competition. The other was blues musician Mike Garner of Rotorua, who came third in the Americana category for his song Louisiana Hurricane.
New Zealand has a strong history in the competition, with two former Grand Prize winners coming from this country.
Mahinarangi's funeral will take place today at the Kauriki Marae in Taumarunui.
