She’s done her fair share of jazz gigs and now Karen Edwards is adding the national anthem to her repertoire.

The Whangarei woman of Maori, Tongan and Welsh decent oozes passion when she talks about music, her self-titled band and her defining moment singing the New Zealand national anthem before the rugby game between New Zealand Maori and Barbarians at Toll Stadium.

Ms Edwards gets another chance to sing the national anthem tomorrow as part of the opening ceremony for the International Rally of Whangarei.

This time the talented performer is more relaxed after the experience of standing alone in the middle of a rugby pitch. Ten days out from the big performance she was asked to sing the anthem before the historic 100th Maori rugby game.

First there was sheer elation at being asked. Then there was the question “what should a girl wear?”, quickly followed by “what are the words to the national anthem?”.

“It was the most intense 10 days of my entire life,” she said.

A favourite black dress completed with a bolero jacket with feathers around the neckline solved the clothing problem. “I had the beginning and end but didn’t know the entire song. Everywhere I went in my car I was singing the anthem. It was going around and around in my head.”

But when Ms Edwards lifted the microphone and started singing the anxiety melted away. “I just felt so vulnerable out there in the middle of the paddock. The only thing I had to rely on was my voice.

“But when I started, it was unreal. Hearing everyone singing I realised I wasn’t on my own and we were singing together.” And while it might have been her shortest gig, it has been the biggest moment of her singing career. “It took me out of my absolute comfort zone. There was the enormity of the crowd, about 10,000 at the game plus the TV audience.

“The expectation was huge and the fact it was the national anthem it had to be good,” Ms Edwards said.

“While I was singing I felt so humbled to have been asked. It was such an honour.”

She adds: “It was a defining moment in my life, stepping up to perform at that level.”

For someone who has never been trained to sing and can’t even read music, the experience has inspired her to look to the future. “I would love to be part of the World Cup singing the anthem and at the after-party gigs.”

So with the Tongan rugby team set to play two games in Northland and given her family lineage, don’t be surprised if you see Ms Edwards singing the Tongan national anthem next year.

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Northland’s talent and scenic beauty will be on national display when five Northland singers perform in their home towns for Maori Television‘s singing competition show, “Maorioke”.

The second season of the popular show starts on Sunday night, in which five contestants will sing in their home towns each week.

Northland contestants start appearing on the show from July 10, when Kaitaia’s Harmony Te Pania will sing Eyes on the Sparrow by Lauren Hill.

The following week, Whangarei’s Kim Cullen will sing Turn off the Light by Nelly Furtado.

On July 24, Whangarei’s Mihi Martin will sing Stop by Sam Brown and the following Sunday, Matauri Bay’s Leon Para and Yvonne Herbert will sing Always by Atlantic Star.

Whangarei’s Karen Edwards will conclude the list of singers with That Old Devil Called Love by Alison Moyet on August 28.

The winner, who will be selected on September 25, will win a recording contract with Doughboy Records and all finalists will embark on a tour of the country’s five main centres to perform live gigs.

Popular Maori singers Brannigan Kaa and Whirimako Black are judging the show again.

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