A haunting debut single from Smokefreerockquest solo winner Sahara

These kids are talented.

After winning Smokefree Rockquest's Solo/Duo category in 2025, alt-folk artist Sahara has released a sobering debut single Turcot.

Originally from the Waikato and now based in Wellington, Sahara's Turcot is accompanied by a music video created as part of her Rockquest prize package with support from NZ On Air.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Noema Te Hau III at BIG FAN, Turcot is about power, control and the toll it can take on ones mental health. Sahara says the song centres on fear and the influence of people who hold power over others.

“Turcot is about a fear of the dark, and all things within it. The ‘beast’ in the song is a metaphor for the people in our lives who threaten and hold power over us,”

The video was directed and edited by Ethan Alderson-Hughes. It presents a visual interpretation of the song's themes, following a recurring presence represented by a pair of hands that control and threaten the artist throughout the narrative.

Sahara is currently studying music at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. With Turcot, she becomes the latest Rockquest success story to move from the competition into delivering a release.