Rosalie Norton, a musician and youth advocate from Waikato has been recognised in YWCA's Y25 list this year.
Rosalie Norton, a musician and youth advocate from Waikato has been recognised in YWCA's Y25 list this year.
“From a young age, I felt connected to music,” says Rosalie Norton, known by her stage name “Lehali”, after she was recognised as one of 25 women under 25 making a positive difference in New Zealand.
Norton, 20, from Hamilton is of Pacific and Māori descent and was one of four Waikato winners in YWCA’s Y25 list this year, saying she is honoured by the recognition.
Not only is Norton known for her musical talents, but she is also a public speaker, youth advocate, and business founder.
She told Waikato Herald that her love for music came at a young age.
“In primary, I did the choir and kapa haka, and I feel like from a young age I felt connected to music in a creative expression way. In intermediate, I did musical theatre but it mostly started when I was in high school and started to learn more about my voice.”
Rosalie Norton, of Hamilton, goes by the stage name of Lehali and released her debut album Growing Pains in 2023.
She said music had always been a safe space for her.
“Songwriting and singing has always been comforting to me. It’s been a space that fills the feeling I’m feeling or gives me a safe space to understand something. I also feel a lot of joy and confidence, I love every part of what music does to me.”
Her love of music led to her 2023 debut album, Growing Pains, which explores navigating high school life and identity; topics she hopes resonate with other youth.
“What I’m proud of in my music is just being able to show other young people, and even younger versions of myself, that it is okay to learn, to change, and to grow,” she said.
“I wrote all the songs in the album over the five years of high school. It’s a reflection of what you go through. Navigating life and exploring identity is key and a long journey, but it’s definitely one you go down.”
Her song Cherry Blossom resonates most with her, as it captures the bittersweet goodbye to high school.
“It’s the only song I wrote out of high school and it connected with me because it was a wrap-up of that chapter in my life. It was getting to say goodbye and thanks to the people and experiences,” Norton said.
“It’s the biggest reflection song to me because high school tends to feel like such an isolated space ... It’s cool to look back at that journey and learn more from older versions of myself.”
At 16, Norton opened her business Mindbox, which offers wellbeing workshops and products for youth.
The beginning of the business for her came from a place of severe anxiety.
“When I was younger, I had severe anxiety and I was looking to understand what I could do about it or if there was a class I could attend just to feel supported,” Norton said.
“That’s a reason why I started Mindbox, to raise awareness of what those spaces are and ensuring other youth know they are not alone and everybody goes through things they may be currently facing.”
In 2021, Rosalie Norton at 17 was Jamie Strange's Youth MP for Hamilton East.
She said another inspiration for her business came from “seeing a gap in the mental wellness space”.
“It’s important to be aware of mental health and the wellness you need because if we don’t have good support networks, we don’t have the understanding of supporting ourselves at different times,” Norton said.
“Being able to look after your mental wellbeing intersects with everything you do. I really wanted to create a similar space for other rangatahi like me to provide that support no matter how big or small.”
Norton said again that youth advocacy is of high significance to her.
“On one hand it allows us to be seen and heard, it’s not just a way to represent ourselves but also represent the communities and whakapapa that we come from.
“It’s showing other youth that they too can do everything they dream of, and there are other people like them who are sticking up for them, and helping their voices get on the table.”
Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.
