Country crooner shares words of wisdom

A professional country music artist entertained Roebourne residents with live music and some inspirational words at the recent Rockin’ Out Roebourne community concert.

Singer Tenielle Neda performed at Roebourne PCYC Hall on Sunday, April 24 in a relaxed afternoon event organised by local PCYC and Yaandina staff.

She sang original songs and covers before talking about her achievements, struggles and advice to young people in a Q&A session with Roebourne PCYC centre manager Kirsty Levi.

Neda, a former Karratha resident who still works fly-in fly-out in Dampier as a truck driver to fund her music, rose to fame after reaching the semifinals of TV talent show Australian Idol in 2009.

She went on to win national country music development program Telstra Road to Tamworth the following year and has been a recording artist ever since.

Neda said with her gradual success in the music industry, early struggles with stage fright and keeping her day job throughout it all, she had a sense of responsibility towards young people and encouraging them to make the most of their talents.

“I think teenagers are really bashful and they kind of keep their cards close to their chest,” she said.

“But you never know. One little thing that you can say might get them thinking or might be exactly what they needed to hear or a bit of encouragement.”

Mrs Levi said the PCYC and Yaandina had family connections to Neda and wanted her to perform as an example to local children of what could be possible if you dreamed big and worked hard.

“A lot of these kids… you ask them what their dreams are, like what do they want to do when they grow up, and they just shrug their shoulders,” she said.

“I just would love them to have something to jump out of bed for in the morning.

“There’s so much talent here — sporting, acting, singing — but they don’t know how to get from here to there. So that’s why I wanted Tenielle to have a wee chat and say yeah, she continued working and she worked to pay the bills and then she did other things.

“I just wanted people to see that anybody can achieve anything if you’re passionate about it and you work hard.”