Wesley's up and coming singer songwriter
Juliet Oswell, a Glen Waverley Year 11 student, has recently been awarded first place in the Australian Children’s Music Foundation, National Songwriting Competition. Her original song, Fire, was recognised by the judges as being the best amongst hundreds of applicants nation-wide, where the “calibre of the competition was extremely high”. Juliet was awarded $1,500 in prize money to put towards her musical endeavours, and additionally won a $1,000 grant for musical equipment at Wesley College.
With this prize she has already been able to buy an electric guitar and other editing equipment, and is looking forward to “experimenting with completely new sounds”.
The 16 year old has been immersed in music her whole life. She has been singing for as long as she can remember, and started playing guitar at the age of 12. Music has always been number one for Juliet, but she says she has also always loved reading and writing, “finding a way to combine her passion for the two, was a revelation. The ability just one song has to change your outlook on something” is an inspiration to her.
Both of Juliet’s parents are musicians in their own right, (her mother Bronwyn is the Head of Strings at Wesley College, Glen Waverley) as a result Juliet grew up “listening to a lot of classical music, but also classic signers such as Norah Jones and Joni Mitchell, who have really shaped (her) style and understanding of music”.
Her latest accomplishment isn’t her first; Juliet has already travelled to London to perform as opening act for up and coming Scottish singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt, which she considers to be her greatest achievement to date.
As for Juliet’s future, it’s clear that big things lie ahead for the talented singer-songwriter. In addition to focusing on her VCE studies, and her involvement with the Wesley College Soul Band, Juliet is recording an EP which is due to be released this year.
Wesley congratulates Juliet on her latest achievement, and wishes her the very best for her VCE studies. We look forward to supporting the launch of her EP in 2014.
