Moree Secondary College has a future superstar in its ranks, with Year 11 singer-songwriter Kyla-Belle Roberts bursting onto the national stage after winning Triple J’s Unearthed High Indigenous Initiative.

Kyla told ABC radio she let out a scream when she found out she had won.

“I was honestly so overwhelmed,” she said.

“I was so excited that my Nan came out and must’ve thought something bad had happened!

“I’m speechless, absolutely speechless.”

The 16-year-old Gomeroi woman took the prize thanks to her alt-country ode to teenage identity, ‘Myself’.

“I actually wrote ‘Myself’ sitting in my room, just mucking around one day on the guitar,” she recalled.

“My manager and I thought it could work for the Triple J competition because it’s about teenage high schoolers. It worked out pretty well!”

The Triple J judges said this year’s competition discovered countless outstanding entries but Kyla and her guitar stood out.

“Her ability to craft intricate stories into meaningful and memorable melodies has made her a stand-out in the local music scene,” the judges said.

“Despite her youth, Kyla tackles complex and mature concepts with the grace and understanding of songwriters beyond her years. She presents a unique perspective in a beautiful and incredibly gifted manner.”

As part of the winner’s prize, Kyla will have her next track mixed and mastered by industry heavyweight Konstantin Kersting, who has worked with the likes of Mallrat, Spacey Jane and Budjerah. She will also be mentored by other seasoned professionals.

“I’m actually really excited about that part,” Kyla said.

“I’ll be meeting up with a very, very amazing producer. I just can’t wait.”

Kyla has been making waves in the musical world for a few years, and was runner-up in the 2023 National Busking Championships.

She will perform as a featured artist at this year’s Schools Spectacular at Qudos Bank Arena in late November.

“People sometimes say to me that music isn’t the safest career choice,” Kyla said.

“But I’m willing to take the risk and put my whole entire heart and self into it. I’m still a teenager so let’s just see what happens.”