From Silence to the Spotlight: How Music Helped Howick College’s Resuja Find Her Voice
Four years ago, arriving in New Zealand without knowing English felt overwhelming for Howick College student Resuja. "I remember sitting in classes, trying to make friends, but not understanding what was happening and feeling embarrassed to ask for help," she recalls. "Simple conversations felt impossible."
Turning to music transformed her learning. Singing along to songs helped her master pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary all at once. "Music taught me so much more than words," Resuja says. "I was learning how people communicated and expressed themselves."
Her passion quickly grew beyond self-directed learning. Alongside her normal academic timetable, Resuja fully immersed herself in Howick College’s music department—joining the school choir, playing in the jazz band, and taking guitar lessons.
That dedication paid off on a major stage at the 2026 New Found Sound competition, run annually by The Y. Performing at Auckland’s Tuning Fork as one half of the Howick College duo Mangata, Resuja took out the grand final Solo/Duo title as a solo artist.
For anyone facing a language barrier, Resuja’s advice is simple: "Don't be afraid of letting your accent slip or making mistakes—that is all part of the process. Every conversation helps you improve. Do what you genuinely enjoy, and have fun with the process."
