Tessa Rao

Havelock North

I am a young musician and actress currently based in Hawkes Bay. A recent graduate of the acclaimed American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, I was brought back to my hometown due to COVID-19, and have been using the time to work more on my music. Beginning classical voice at the age of 3, I now have over 18 years of music related experience and am trained in piano, voice and drama. A student of the NZ Singing School and National Youth Drama School, I developed a love for all genres of music, from R&B to Musical Theatre. My eclectic taste has and continues to have a large influence on my songwriting as I develop my own unique sound. My love for singing led me to develop a desire to write my own music, which began at the age of 9. I find that writing music both helps me to express my own thoughts and emotions as well as connect to other's experiences. When I hear a song and relate to every word of it, the situation I'm in suddenly feels less lonely and difficult, and I have an outlet to feel it completely, even just for a few minutes. I only hope I can have that same effect on anyone that hears my music, and deeply wish to become better at writing and producing in order to do so.