Townsville singer, songwriter Sammy White has been announced as the 2020 Toyota Star Maker in front of thousands of country music fans at the Toyota Star Maker 41st Grand Final held tonight in Toyota Park.
The 2020 Toyota Star Maker competition proved to be a momentous night for women in country music with nine of the ten finalists female.
White, who performed an exciting rendition of her #5 iTunes Country Chart song Drowning My Sorrows, was met with a huge applause from the crowd as she was announced the overall winner of the 2020 Star Maker competition.
Toyota Star Maker producer Barry Harley said: “Congratulations to Sammy White on winning the 2020 Toyota Star Maker title.
“Sammy is in good company with other female artists who have taken out the Star Maker crown and who are now leading the way in Australian country music including Beccy Cole, Gina Jeffreys, Lyn Bowtell and Kaylee Bell, and we look forward to watching her journey as 2020 Toyota Star Maker,” he said.
2019 winner Blake O’Connor, who has received two nominations in the Toyota Golden Guitar Awards for Qantas New Talent of the Year and Male Artist of the Year – says, “the possibilities are endless when you enter Toyota Star Maker.”
“Star Maker has opened doors and given me opportunities to show more people than ever my songs. It has put me on a greater platform to build a fan base for my career, and I have made friendships and met people that I wouldn’t have been exposed to if it wasn’t for Star Maker.
“This year has been a massive step forward for my career, and it’s one I’m very grateful for.”
Toyota Vice President Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley presented the award and said: “Each year, the Toyota Star Maker competition helps unearth some amazing new artists, showcasing the huge amount of talent we have coming up in Australian country music.
On behalf of Toyota Australia, I would like to congratulate Sammy on taking out the 2020 Toyota Star Maker title. She joins the ranks of past winners, which include Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan and Sam McClymont. It’s a well-deserved and significant achievement, and we are so pleased to have been able to be part of what will no doubt be a huge career in music.”
Toyota has a long and proud history of supporting country music in Australia, including 25 years of sponsoring the emerging artists of Star Maker and 28 years of the overall country music festival in Tamworth.
In addition to the title of Toyota Star Maker winner, Sammy receives a prize package, which includes the use of a new Toyota vehicle and a fuel card for 12 months, a return trip to Nashville for CMA Fest with Chris Watson travel and performance in the Aussie showcase. Sammy will also perform at major festivals and events throughout Australia, and will also join the artists’ line-up on Cruisin’ Country in October.
The 2020 Top Ten Star Maker Finalists were:
1 Chloe Styler* Age 22 Runaway Bay Qld
2 Clancy Pye Age 27 Orange NSW
3 El Cosgrove Age 25 Dalby Qld
4 Hannah May Age 25 Mount Cotton Qld
5 Jarred Taylor Age 27 Tamworth NSW
6 Juliet Oliver* Age 21 McLaren Vale SA
7 Leigha Moore* Age 27 Sippy Downs Qld
8 Sammy White Age 22 Mount Louisa Qld
9 Taylor Pfeiffer* Age 20 Nailsworth SA
10 Zoey Mills Age 20 Mirani Qld
Tonight, the Star Maker Grand Final provided a chance for finalists to perform two of their songs live on the biggest stage in Tamworth in front of thousands of country music fans and an illustrious panel of judges which includes:
•Daniel Biddle, Chairman, Country Music Association of Australia;
•Justin Thomson, National Content Director, KIX Country Radio;
•Scott Lamond, Saturday Night Country, ABC Radio;
•Tom Inglis, HSF Artist Services
•Greg Shaw, Label owner, and artist manager;
•Craig Power, The Pub Group, Tamworth;
•Cheryl Brown, Star Maker Manager
•Barry Harley, Manager Country Music, Tamworth Regional Council.
For further information on the Toyota Star Maker competition, visit https://www.tcmf.com.au/star-maker.