For Hannah Watts, music is the language of life. Login or signup to continue reading It helped her overcome dyslexia and had long been a tonic for her mind . "Music is very powerful for me personally.
It really helps my mood," said Hannah, 17. "It helps me navigate emotional rollercoasters , especially being a teenager and young adult. "I turn to music when I'm happy, sad and everything else in between.
" Hannah, who plays the ukulele, is set to perform at a Headspace Newcastle event - Young Guns at the Museum - on Thursday evening. Headspace had called for musicians keen to perform and network with other musicians. Byron Williams, a Headspace community development officer, said it attracted more than 100 applications.
"They ranged from country and western duos to metal bands to rappers," Mr Williams said. "There's limited opportunities for young musicians to perform and we wanted to do something about it." Headspace, which partnered with Newcastle Museum for the event, aimed to host a series of gigs over the next few months.
Hannah said music "brings people together in a supportive community and creates a common bond". "It helps me whether I'm listening to music or playing along with other people," she said. "It's also good to learn from others.
" Music helped Hannah overcome learning challenges due to dyslexia. "I started music in grade three," she said. "At that time, I was falling behind.
I remember Mum being scared of that. "She talked to a music teacher, who said 'anythin.