When you think of superheroes, you might imagine someone in a cape, flying through the sky. But, right here in Aotearoa, we have so many young superheroes that aren’t often found in capes or flying around. This term here in the Kiwi Kids News Feature articles, we are going to take a look into some ‘Awesome young Kiwis’ and learn all about them.
Kicking off with a bang, today we are going to look into the story of Frankie Venter, an up and coming musician who is only 18 years old.
Born and raised in the Coromandel before moving to Mount Maunganui, Frankie’s life has always been filled with music and creativity. She grew up singing into a karaoke machine at home (even when her Nan joked that it sounded more like wailing!), and by the time she was 11, she was already posting Billie Eilish covers online. It was when she was watching Taylor swift perform on the TV at 8-years-old that she knew she wanted to be like her. A musician.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, Frankie started uploading covers to Instagram, which encouraged her to write her own songs. After teaching herself guitar and pushing through early struggles with songwriting, she finally wrote her first original song while camping with her family, locking herself into a tent and not letting herself out til the song was written. She went on to enter that song into a local competition called ‘Play it strange’ and won, winning funding to record the song. Venter then made the big move from Mount Maunganui to Auckland where she was going to pivot her dream into a reality.
Today, Frankie Venter is one of New Zealand’s brightest rising pop stars, making huge waves in the music world. Her songs fall under the ‘pop-music’ genre and are relatable lyrics.
After signing with the music label Five AM in 2023, she released her breakout single Move With It, which picked up over 100,000 views on TikTok and earned her a loyal fanbase almost overnight. Since then, Frankie hasn’t slowed down—she’s dropped five more singles, including Fine, Leyla, You Won’t Forget Me, Work It Out, Backseat driving, and Like it like that. Her release, How You Like Me Now, has been her fastest-growing hit yet, climbing straight to the number one spot on the Hot NZ Singles Chart. The song’s playful, sassy style shows off Frankie’s cheeky Gen Z humour, and fans can’t get enough of her.
Not only is Frankie smashing it on the charts, but she’s also ticking off some massive career milestones.
She recently opened for rising British pop star Griff at Auckland’s famous Powerstation, played alongside Coldplay, opened for Six60, and now she is about to go on tour around Aotearoa. Frankie’s first-ever music video, filmed in a grocery store and a school gym, perfectly shows her bold personality. Through it all, she’s stayed true to her roots, often sharing her success with her biggest supporter—her mum. Venters eyes are set on even bigger dreams like international tours and someday even winning a Grammy.
Frankie Venter is an inspiration to young Kiwis everywhere, showing that you don’t have to follow the “traditional” path to find success. She proved that with passion and a little bit of bravery, you can turn your dreams into reality—whether that means writing your first song in a camping tent or dropping out of school to chase a music career. She’s a reminder that it’s okay to be different, to take risks, and to stay true to who you are.
From singing into a karaoke machine at home to topping New Zealand’s music charts, Frankie is proof that big dreams can grow from small towns. We can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What genre of music does Frankie Venter create or perform?
2. What inspired Frankie to start their journey as a musician?
Activities:
1. Create Your Own Album Cover – Design a colourful and creative album cover for one of Frankie’s albums. Give it a title and list five fun song names.
2. Soundtrack of My Life – Make a list of five songs that represent different moments in your life (e.g. a happy song, a song for a rainy day). Write a sentence about why you picked each one.
SMART Prep | Quick Question 
