Martinborough’s Rising Stars

Mel and Pip Maynard are well known around Martinborough, but they may have been less easy to recognise recently with their new short and stylish haircuts. This is the first time since they were small girls that either sister has had short hair. Mel said, “My hair was always part of my personal identity, so it was quite a big thing,” and both admitted to finding it challenging to go through with. Mel confessed that Pip kept her on target when she wavered.

The sisters chose to cut their hair short during Pink Ribbon Month for breast cancer awareness, both saying emphatically that “we wanted to do it for ourselves”. Cutting their hair was a way of raising awareness, giving back to the community, and showing their gratitude for what has so far been, as Mel describes it, “a fantastic year for us”.

Breast cancer runs in their family, and Pip and Mel are very conscious of the need for increased awareness and research. However, they chose not to put their friends and family under pressure to support a fundraising effort. Instead, theirs was a personal contribution, their hair being sent to Freedom Wigs in Dunedin, who create wigs for people suffering from cancer and other conditions which cause hair loss. 

Pip and Mel’s fantastic year began in January, when they were asked to audition for a nationwide music series on Maori TV called My Country Song. The audition was successful and they will appear in the programme later in the year.  They describe the experience as “amazing”, particularly because of the support they received. “Everyone had their support networks there but they all supported everyone, a bit like one big whanau” said Pip. The sisters admit to having been nervous because they had never performed on TV before, but loved the experience. “We haven’t seen it yet, so I don’t know how we’ll look, but I’m confident we’ll be beaming.

At almost the same time, Mel and Pip performed at the pre-audition phase of the X-Factor, and to their delight went through to the live auditions in Auckland. Successful there, the sisters went on to Boot Camp but were eventually eliminated. Mel said, “We really wanted to make it to the final 24, but it was fantastic to get to 60 out of 6,000”. She added that “we never realised how good we were until we stood on stage with 120 other acts and held our own”.
Elimination from the X-Factor was disappointing, but Maori TV contacted them to be part of the grand finale to the My Country Song series, performing an original song. Theirs is one of the top 10 acts from a series which featured over 100 performances. “After the X-Factor it was a bit like one door closes and another opens”.

One of the gifts from the two experiences has been the support from Martinborough people who have assisted them in reaching for their dreams. “When we made it to the live auditions, we went to Thrive and said we wanted to represent Martinborough well and they dressed us. Everyone commented on how good we looked and we gave even more because we knew we looked great”. Shelley at Bijoux, where Mel worked at the time, and Shane and Poppie from Poppies, where Pip works, were “incredibly supportive,” The sisters take this opportunity of saying thank you to all the community for “getting behind us”.

Having drawn breath after such an exciting and rewarding six months, Mel and Pip intend to “continue to jump at every opportunity that comes along”. Not taking any of what has happened for granted they feel very fortunate in having the gift of voice and being able to share it with people. As two fifth generation Martinborough residents, they are disarmingly open and enthusiastic about this town. “We love Martinborough so much,” they say, and no matter what other doors may open they have every intention of being part of next year’s planned Madcaps production.
It was an absolute pleasure talking with two such vibrant, positive and ever-smiling women, and admirable that in the midst of all this success they retained their sense of gratitude for their own good fortune and a desire to give something back. Asked whether they will grow their hair long again, Pip and Mel looked at each other and, with their characteristic beaming smiles and infectious laughs, said “well, I guess it’s up to the hair really!”