Sign In / Register
A trio of talented young musicians from Bream Bay College have their sights set firmly on the future after taking top honours at the Northland Smokefreerockquest regional finals held at Forum North in Whangārei last month.
Alternative rock band Fork, made up of teen sisters Kacie and Phoebe Cookson and longtime friend Nerissa Barton, impressed judges with performances of their original songs ‘Fat Jesus’ and ‘Yeah’, earning both first place in the band category and the best song award.
The results mark the latest milestone for the up-and-coming band, which has been honing its craft since forming in 2024. The group will now submit a three-song video entry in the next stage of the competition, aiming to secure a place among the eight bands selected to play at the national finals.
The ultimate winner of the band category will receive $10,000 in musical equipment from the Rockshop, plus an NZ On Air recording and video grant.
The regional win was particularly meaningful for the band. It will be their final year competing together at the event, with 18-year-old drummer Phoebe leaving Bream Bay College at the end of the school year.
“We were super stoked to come away with first place. We put so much time and energy into the band. It was awesome to get up on stage and play our songs together for our last year performing at Rockquest,” the band says.
The band also celebrated Phoebe’s success after she won the coveted Musicianship Award.
“It is pretty exciting,” Phoebe says. “I couldn’t believe I actually won it this year. It was pretty awesome to be recognised for my drumming and my musicianship.”
The award also gives her the chance to apply for the Chloe Wright Scholarship. Created in honour of the philanthropist and businesswoman, it covers up to three years of tertiary education tuition.
Fork credits the support of Bream Bay College music teachers Mr Brown and Mrs Finlayson, and singing tutor Tyra, for helping them achieve their goals. They have also received mentorship from Niel de Jong, an accomplished music producer, sound engineer and band manager who was instrumental in the success of Alien Weaponry.
He also happens to be the father of two of the band’s founding members, whose mix of te reo and heavy metal has made them an internationally recognised success.
“Niel has been mentoring us for a while now,” the Fork band members say. “He’s been helping us make connections and contacts in the industry and getting gigs. We are really grateful for all that he does.”
Niel has also been passing on his extensive knowledge of sound production to the trio.
“Niel has been teaching me how to run events and run live sound for events. He helped me find some good second-hand microphones and a digital mixer, which I’ve already used to run live sound for other musicians and events,” Phoebe says.
The girls, whose music is a mix of early-1990s grunge, punk, metal, and indie rock, are hoping to release a few singles in the coming months and are working towards an album.
They also have plenty of gigs to look forward to, including playing Sweet Treat Punx at Whammy Bar on Karangahape Road on July 16.
“Our dream is to get more people enjoying our music. It would be really cool to get more gigs around Aotearoa New Zealand. We would love to be able to go on a tour around the country, or even beyond.”
To learn more about Fork and follow the band’s progress, visit forkband.com
