Congratulations to Year 11 student Dornia Silupe-Ulumani, who achieved outstanding success today at the Auckland Rockquest 2026, winning the Best Lyrics Award and placing 2nd overall in the Solo/Duo category.

Competing against 27 performers from across Auckland, Dornia impressed the judges with her original music and performance. They described her voice as "silky smooth and effortless" and praised her beautiful guitar playing, recognising both her musicianship and songwriting ability.

Today's result builds on an already exceptional year for Dornia as a songwriter. Earlier this year, her original song, The Home of the Gone, was awarded Third Place nationally in the Play It Strange Junior Songwriting Competition 2026. The competition attracts entries from talented young songwriters throughout New Zealand, making Dornia's achievement a significant accomplishment. As part of her national placing, Dornia received a $200 MusicWorks voucher and earned the opportunity to spend a day in a professional recording studio recording her song.

Dornia has also been part of a successful year for OHS at Rockquest. Our school band M.O.A progressed through to the Top 12 bands in Auckland and was recognised with the Lyric Writer Award, showcasing the strength of original music being created by OHS students.

Following her success in the regional Solo/Duo competition, Dornia will now submit a performance video for consideration for the Rockquest National Finals in Wellington. Successful entrants will be selected from across New Zealand to compete at the national event later this year. We are incredibly proud of Dornia's achievements. Her success across both Play It Strange and Rockquest reflects her creativity, dedication, and growing reputation as a talented young songwriter and performer. 

Tino pai rawa atu, Dornia!