Sam Maxwell (17) and show band gave a soaring encore performance of Slipped and Fall to rapturous applause in the Queenstown Memorial Centre, after he was voted the overall winner of the original music competition by the audiences on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
The singer-songwriter-guitarist thanked his family from the stage, especially mother Jan Maxwell, and paid tribute to his father, Ewan.
''who will always live in the memories and hearts of his children''.
Sam won $1000 in prize money, plus a $500 voucher and a professional photography session.
He will have his single produced in York St Recording Studio, Auckland, used by Crowded House, Dave Dobbyn, Shihad and dozens more top New Zealand acts.
The recording opportunity was added to the prize package for the first time, courtesy of Mike Chunn, Split Enz co-founder and music industry veteran, who was impressed by Songstars and its showcasing of original talent, co-producer Nicky Viggers said yesterday.
Sam, a Wakatipu High School pupil in his final year and front man for the award-winning rock band the Fletcherz, told Songstars host Shaun Vining and the audience of more than 200 residents he was keen to pursue his career in music and hoped to take ''a couple of gap years'' off to travel in Europe.
Mr Maxwell, a popular father of five and grandfather, died when he fell from a West Coast cliff while hunting with a companion in January 2011.
Tori Reed and her song Injuries was voted second overall by the three audiences and Alex Fraser and his song Through the Dark overall third. Rebecca Barnes, Sam Hillman, Holly Hoogvliet, Charlotte Graf, Marty Newell, Isabella Reid and Paul Winders were the other contestants.
Songstars will return for its fourth year in 2014.
