Music duo place third at Rockquest

Playing to hundreds of people at Auckland’s Bruce Mason Centre is certainly a highlight of Ben and Brody Glanfield’s already promising music career.

The Stanmore Bay siblings performed at the Smokefree Rockquest national final on September 14, placing third in the solo/duo category.

Smokefree Rockquest alumni include Broods, Kimbra and Bic Runga.

“When we were performing, the lights were too bright to see past the first few rows, so we got quite a shock when we came off stage and saw how big the crowd was,” Ben, 14, says.

Ben and Brody came second in the Auckland regional final of the competition in June. To reach the final, the top three from regional events, held across the country, had to submit a video audition performing four original songs. Ben and Brody were one of three acts selected from 10 in total.

Perks of making the final included a professional photoshoot and a recording session with Six60’s Chris Mac.

“Chris Mac had so many cool ideas. In the end, our song had way more layers to it than I could have imagined,” Brody, 16, says.

The recorded song played behind a video that introduced Ben and Brody at the final, where they performed two original tunes.

The competition is open to high school-age students. Ben, who is in year 9, was the youngest competitor in the final, and Brody, who is in year 12, is eligible to compete for one more year. There is no question that they will be entering next year.

“We went into it with no expectations and had the most exciting experience,” Brody says.

“Everyone there inspired and encouraged each other – it was such a great environment to be in.”