Ainslie Allen is releasing a new album called Betty, named after her grandmother.
Allen said she was supported while she was growing up by her grandmother who believed in Allen’s music capability, and naming the album after her grandmother was a way to honour her.
“It was a lot of hard mahi and I’m relieved that it’s now out and I’m finally touring. That’s what it's all about for me. It’s a dream of mine to be performing my own music.”
Allen said that her career had been on a bit of a roller coaster and that being with her band doing her own music was a blessing.
Allen was first recognised as a singer with talent before the age of 16.
She went on to sing for Sir Edmund Hillary, won the most prestigious female musician award, at the Smokefree Rockquest, and many still remember her from the McDonald’s Young Entertainers.
Allen has also been named New Zealand Country Music entertainer of the year and is a seven-time finalist of the New Zealand Gold Guitar awards.
She was also a part of the 2021 Waiata Anthems, and was a finalist, for best Māori wāhine solo artist, at the Waiata Music Awards in 2021.