KYLA-Belle Roberts’ emerging career just went up a few octaves, with the 16-year-old Moree Secondary College student named Triple J’s Unearthed Indigenous Initiative winner.
The national competition is for high school students, with Kyla nominating her new single, Myself, from her EP Took a Turn, launched earlier this year.
Kyla was floored when told the news during an on-air Triple J zoom meeting last week, which featured Aboriginal singer, songwriter, and guitarist Thelma Plum, whose album Better in Blak won Best Cover Art at the 2019 ARIA Music Awards.
“I’m lost for words; Thelma is a very big inspiration to me,” Kyla said, while wiping away tears.
Plum told Kyla during the Triple J zoom she loves her music.
“I’ve listened to all your songs all morning, and I think you’re just so, so deadly, and you deserve this so much – this is Kyla-Belle day today,” Plum said.
The annual competition is part of triple J’s Unearthed High, with previous winners including Tia Gostelow, Becca Hatch, KAYPS, Inkabee and RIAH last year.
As part of being named Unearthed Indigenous initiative winner, Kyla will have her next single mixed and mastered by music producer, songwriter and sound engineer Konstantin Kersting.
Kersting, whose productions have generated more 10 billion streams and more than 50-times platinum sales in Australia, has worked with artists such as Tones and I, Milky Chance, Fisher, Spacey Jane, Mallrat, The Jungle Giants, DMA’s, Ruel, The Rubens and Peach PRC.
Kyla will also receive mentoring from Nooky, host of triple J’s Blak Out and member of 3% alongside Dallas Woods and Angus Field.
It’s been a huge year for Kyla-Belle.
She will also be a feature soloist at the NSW School Spectacular, performing her own work Scars.
In November, Kyla will join 36 other featured vocalists, seven featured instrumentalists and eight backing vocalists on the stage at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena.
Kyla also performed at the NSW Department of Education’s NAIDOC Ceremony in Parramatta and Battle on the Bank at Inverell.
The NSW Schools Spectacular 2025, themed Remarkable, will showcase more than 5500 kindergarten to Year 12 students from NSW public schools.
Tickets are on sale now via Ticketek at NSW Schools Spectacular 2025.
The event will feature a diverse range of talents, including instrumentalists, dancers, actors, and vocalists, with performances on November 28-29.
The 2025 Schools Spectacular, featuring Moree’s own Kyla-Belle Roberts, is proudly supported by Telstra, NSW Teachers Federation, School Bytes, Smart, Teachers Health, Woolworths and Steinway Australia with event partners Qudos Bank Arena, Seven Network, Gravity Media and Ticketek.
Kyla juggles schooling with entertaining, songwriting and recording, and will represent Moree Secondary College with pride at Schools Spectacular, saying her selection is “such crazy thought”.
“I feel amazing. It’s going to be a great opportunity, and it also gives me a chance to experience music in new ways,” she said.
