On The Up: Havelock North High School student Lily Moore wins solo Smokefreerockquest final

Lily Moore sings her song 'Lose The Music' at the 2026 Smokefreerockquest solo/duo finals. Video / Smokefreerockquest

Hawke’s Bay teen Lily Moore awoke the morning of Smokefreerockquest as an aspiring doctor who liked writing songs on her guitar.

By late Thursday evening, the Havelock North High School Year 13 student was a national songwriting champion.

Moore had planned medical study in 2027.

Her Smokefreerockquest win has thrown that up in the air as she now treads the same path wandered by Bic Runga, Marlon Williams, Anika Moa and more.

Smokefreerockquest is a nationwide youth music event and songwriting competition for high school students that started in 1988.

The final was held at Massey University’s Great Hall in Wellington and Moore won the solo/duo category at Smokefreerockquest 2026.

Lily Moore performing at the Smokefreerockquest solo/duo finals in Wellington. Photo / Taylor Vincent

She beat six acts from around the country and won a NZ On Air recording, video and promotion package worth $10,000, plus $3000 to spend at the Rockshop.

Moore, 17, said her songwriting was emotion-based with texture-focused lyrics, influenced by Adrianne Lenker, Pinegrove, Phoebe Bridgers and Lizzy McAlpine.

She entered Smokefreerockquest in 2025 in duo Heaps Moore, but went solo this year to see if she could do it.

“I never knew if I could,” she said.

“I have been songwriting alone for a long time, but I’ve never truly taken on the role of performing my own original songs.”

She was extremely nervous going into the final, competing against other top young songwriters.

“I was kind of at peace with the fact that they were so incredible and that I was just going to go out there and try my absolute best and just have a great performance on a stage.”

When Moore was announced as the winner, she was shocked.

“It really took me a moment, and it still hasn’t quite hit me yet.”

Who me? Havelock North High School student Lily Moore, right, learns she's won the Smokefreerockquest solo/duo category.
Photo / Taylor Vincent — Who me? Havelock North High School student Lily Moore, right, learns she's won the Smokefreerockquest solo/duo category. Photo / Taylor Vincent

Moore’s win has her rethinking heading to the University of Otago next year. She is now considering a gap year in the United Kingdom to try her luck in the music scene.

“Otherwise, I’ll just have fun with music for a year and try to get out what I can,” she said.

In the band category, Havelock North High School nu metal band Trolley won the Rockshop Electronic Assist Award and the band’s DJ, Finn Clark, was awarded the Chloe Wright Scholarship, supporting up to three years of tuition at any New Zealand institution.

Trolley perform onstage at the Smokefreerockquest final in Wellington with guitarist Arya Chebbi, left, guitarist Kees Overeem, vocalist Nicholas Squires, drummer Tristan Billings, bassist Leo Trebes and DJ Finn Clark. Photo / Taylor Vincent

Clark said winning the scholarship had changed his life, and he planned to study music at Victoria University in Wellington with dreams of a master’s degree or PhD.

The band was also proud to have worked up a mosh pit at the final while they were performing.

Moore and all Trolley members agreed entering Smokefreerockquest was one of the best things budding musicians could do.

“Rockquest really pushes you into performing original material,” Moore said.

“I wouldn’t have gotten into music if it wasn’t for Rockquest,” said Trolley guitarist Arya Chebbi.

Havelock North High School principal Joel Wilton said the result wasn’t bad for a little school in the provinces.

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.