Briar Sharp, who turned 13 during the awards, won three of the finals she performed in.
She competed in the junior intermediate finals and won the junior vocal solo, junior country rock and junior gospel sections, leading her to become the overall junior Gold Guitar winner.
Prior to the Gold Guitar auditions, a cold had been spreading through her school.
"Then I got the cold which was really annoying.
"I was trying everything to get myself good."
On the day of the auditions she had a sore throat but persisted regardless.
"But it’s fine because I got up on stage and performed my song The Letter."
"I was really happy because I knew that it gave me a really good chance."
Despite the success she was still nervous for her performances at the finals, she said.
As she sat backstage at the Gore Town & Country Club Stadium waiting to perform her first song, the nerves set in.
"I felt like I was going to vomit."
It was the second time she had performed in the finals — she first did so last year..
"I knew that my competitors were going to be really good, so I was hoping that what I did was enough to impress the judges."
Practice made perfect as she found out she had won three categories.
All that hard work had paid off, she said.
She thanked her singing teacher, Peter Cairns, and Kayla Mahon for helping her achieve the success.
Mr Cairns had taught her music since she moved to Christchurch to attend St Margaret’s College.
Her mother, Fiona Sharp, said Briar had played the ukulele and guitar since the age of 4.
"Her pop loves playing country music and would always have it on when they were driving in the car.
"That’s how it started. She would sing along."
