Singer Bailee Hart-Tava has found fame in Wellington after a video of her performing on the capital's Cuba Street was posted to a popular local Facebook group.
Although this was one of the first times Hart-Tava had busked in the capital, performing in front of large crowds isn't something new for the Nelson native.
"My sister and I have been singing together forever... since we were babies," she told Newshub.
"It's always come naturally to us."
Their first performance together was at their primary school talent competition, when Hart-Tava was 11 years old.
"We sang 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus, and we won.”
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Following the success of the talent show, the demand for the pair blew up, and they created a Facebook page to post videos of their different performances.
They were even invited to perform at Nelson's Opera in the Park, one of the city's biggest nights of entertainment with more than 15,000 attendees.
But after Hart-Tava moved to Wellington to study, it became harder to perform with her sister, who remained in Nelson.
"I just thought, why not start busking and get my name out there in Wellington?" she said.
Her performance of 'Shallow' was filmed by a passerby and shared on the Vic Deals Facebook page. It's now attracted hundreds of comments and shares, as well as multiple opportunities.
"I have been contacted [to perform] by the Wellington Saints basketball team, restaurants, cafés, weddings," Hart-Tava said.
"One guy was listening to me on the day the video was taken and goes, 'Can you sing at this wedding I am going to today?'"
Despite the attention she is getting from her music since moving to the capital, Hart-Tava is not there to pursue a singing career.
"I'm actually studying at the New Zealand School of Tourism. I've actually never studied music before."
While she may be used to performing in front of large crowds of strangers, Hart-Tava admitted she still gets some pre-show jitters.
"Before I start singing, I am so nervous, I am shaking. But as soon as I start singing it just all goes away," Hart-Tava said.
"It's not about the money, it's about the entertainment for the people. It's about pleasing my crowd."
Newshub.
