Canterbury singer-songwriter Miranda Easten is starting to make waves in the music industry, gaining airplay on country music channels in Australia and the United States.
However it hasn't been an easy road to success.
The 35-year-old recently opened up about her battle with agoraphobia - a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult.
"I do have anxiety. I recently came out as letting everyone know I have agoraphobia and some of the things that people find really easy or don't even think about, I find it a little bit more challenging".
She's learnt techniques to help limit her anxiety attacks, but says she feels different when she's on stage.
"There is an element of acting and performing, and, you know, when you're acting, you're not you. So it's liberating. It's freeing".
She wants to raise awareness of the condition, saying its more common than people think.
She released her debut album Behind Unbroken Strings in 2021, with the single Cowboy Lullaby reaching No 16 on Australia's Top 40 Country Music Chart.
Her recent music videos have also done well. "View from Here has been really well-received in the States. It's on MTV and country TV and national TV and racking up quite a lot of views".
However, while she's gaining traction overseas, her music is not as widely known in New Zealand.
"The scene in America, and Australia is just so much bigger and... you know, they're so established with country and so it's kind of no wonder the songs are taking over there a bit faster than the New Zealand,"
Easten is working on her second album, and although the flights may be challenging for her, hopes to tour Australia and the US later this year.
- By Geoff Sloan
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
