Molly Goodeve is continuing her musical career, juggling school life with her new Australian band.
Molly Goodeve has added another accolade to her collection after attending the 2019 New Zealander of the Year awards on February 13.
Better known for her stage name as Molly G, the 16-year-old was awarded honours of excellence in the running for Young New Zealander of the Year, at the New Zealander of the Year Awards on February 13.
It came as a surprise to the Year 12 Cambridge High School student, who has collected half a dozen national and international awards during her five-year stint as a country music singer songwriter.
“I wasn’t expecting anything, because hundreds of people get nominated for Young New Zealander of the Year,” said Molly, who was trumped by a 28-year-old Auckland CEO for the main award.
“I just couldn’t believe it that I was even getting an award, I was just so thankful that someone thought to nominate me. It was just a lovely pat on the back really.
Molly has collected plenty of praise since starting her musical journey at age 11.
She won Entertainer of the Year in 2014 just a few months after getting into music, and won the junior country rock section of the 2015 New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards, later winning the supreme award in 2018. She was also made New Zealand’s “Rising Star” at the 2016 New Zealand Benny Awards.
Add to that the countless musical performances she’s done in both New Zealand and Australia, as well as putting on fundraising concerts for people in need, and it’s safe to say this girl is not your average teenager.
“You get to a certain age where everything just starts to mean a lot more to you, and you feel really thankful for the people you have. That kind of made me just think, well why not give back.”
Molly will head across the ditch to perform with her Australian ensemble, The Iron Shackle Band at a music festival in Coonabarabran over the weekend of March 10. It follows on from their successful stint at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January, playing to a crowd of over 25,000 people at Toyota Park.
“That was a real privilege for us,” she smiled.
Molly said 2019 looked to be a busy year for her, with her main focus on school and music. She’d planned to eventually shelve her music production as a part-time hobby, with her main focus on a career in media. “But because I’ve joined this band that’s sort of changed. This year I would like to get more serious with music. I’m going to apply for a grant with Creative NZ to try and record my first album, that’s my goal for the year.”
Molly said she and the new band have heaps lined up in the coming months, “things that have been confirmed but we’re not even allowed telling people yet, big surprises, which is really cool, so I’m looking forward to sharing that with people.”
