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Pop’s new princess: Elizabeth Marvelly

Retiring from her classical career, Elizabeth Marvelly embraces an exciting new path.
Elizabeth Marvelly

This year is already proving to be a benchmark one for Kiwi musicians – and it’s about to get even bigger!

Elizabeth Marvelly – or Lizzie as she’s now known – has given up her career as a classical “pop opera” singer. Marking her move away from the genre is the online release of her very first pop song, Generation Young.

“As I grew, the stuff I was listening to changed,” says Lizzie (24), who was signed as a professional singer at the age of 17. She has released two classical albums, and performed the national anthem on multiple occasions, including at the final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

“It’s been such a buzz having my own song out! Now maybe I have something to say, while I didn’t when I was younger.”

Rotorua-born Lizzie, the niece of late music great Sir Howard Morrison, decided to walk away from her successful career after realising that, despite teaming up on stage with legends such as Dame Malvina Major, she didn’t believe in what she was singing any more.

“I had to be true to myself and I realised the moments on stage I actually loved were when I was singing my own stuff,” reveals Lizzie, who New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has referred to as “a national treasure”.

“I just thought music is my life and if it’s going to be long term, it has to be music that I actually love everything about.”

Lizzie, whose new song is about not being afraid to stand up for who you are, says not everyone will agree with her career change.

“The music just has to speak for itself.”

And if it doesn’t all work out, she even has a second career – as a gym instructor.

“I teach ShaBam classes at the gym,” smiles the fitness enthusiast. “It’s loads of fun – I get the classes to sing along with me as we exercise!”

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