PORT Macquarie’s Blake O’Connor has been announced as one of Australia’s top 10 emerging country artists and a grand finalist in the 40th Toyota Star Maker – Australia’s most significant and longest-running search for a new country star.
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Toyota Star Maker has been a crucial launching pad for some of Australia’s biggest country music stars including Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, James Blundell, Travis Collins, Gina Jeffreys, Beccy Cole, Sam McClymont (The McClymonts), Darren Coggan, Lyn Bowtell, Kirsty Lee Akers, and Kaylee Bell.
Blake grew up in a house surrounded by country music – mostly Johnny Cash – and scored his first gig as a wedding singer at age 14, writing his first song for the occasion. He hasn’t stopped writing since.
It felt surreal when I got the call.
- Blake O'Connor
In 2015 he was a featured artist in the NSW Schools Spectacular playing four shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre with audiences of more than 20,000 people.
Blake has opened the show for a number of big stars including Brooke and Adam Eckersley, Adam Brand, Russell Morris, Drew McAlister and the 2018 Toyota Star Maker winner Brad Cox.
Like many big stars before him, Blake has entered and won talent quests, busked on the streets of Tamworth, won the CCMA Junior National Talent Quest and received a scholarship to the CMAA Academy.
In 2018 Blake released his debut, self-titled EP, which experienced excellent airplay and chart success.
He is thrilled to be named as one of the top 10 finalists.
“It felt surreal when I got the call. I was shocked when I got the news. It’s a great feeling, I’m very excited to be in the grand final of the 40th Toyota Star Maker,” Blake said.
In 2019, the competition will reach an extraordinary milestone – 40 years of influencing the Australian country music industry.
The 10 grand finalists will compete for the honour of becoming the 40th Toyota Star Maker at a free musical event at Toyota Park, in the leafy heart of Tamworth, Australia’s Country Music Capital.
Toyota Star Maker will be held on Sunday, January 20 and continues the tradition as the main event of the first weekend of the 47th Toyota Country Music Festival in Tamworth.
All 10 finalists will be judged on the night, with one winner emerging.
