Sitting with her friends from Dickson College, Xanthe Campbell reveals she had only ever performed one gig in public - at Rodney's nursery in Pialligo - before she went on national television to audition for the hit show The Voice.
Now the teenager from Gungahlin finds herself in the semi-finals of the singing competition, suddenly known throughout Australia to fans of the show and winning high praise from the superstar judges, including Keith Urban and Rita Ora.
Xanthe says it's her family and her friends and teachers at Dickson College which have helped to ground her throughout the journey.
"I think it's just shown me a lot about myself and my skills and my potential and really that you can't do anything without the support of friends and family," she said.
"And the importance of taking a risk and really believing in yourself, that's really been the main outcome from all of this.
"It's been quite an overwhelming experience because you're so happy but you're also dealing with yourself being on TV, which can be quite confronting at times. Overall, I think it's been such a great experience."
The 17-year-old is wise beyond her years, coping admirably with all the expectations put upon her.
"It was a continuous thing of having to remind myself that I'm only 17 and I've done one gig my entire life and I'm competing against, 30, 40-year-olds who do this for a living," Xanthe said.
"To get where I am is insane."
At school, students have randomly applauded her in the hallways, one even chasing her for an autograph.
Friend Akidi Pickette was on set during the taping of one of the shows.
"That was insane," Akidi said. "It was such an adrenalin rush for us too because we had no idea what was happening and our reactions had to be completely raw."
Others have been watching her journey as it unfolds on TV.
"We're texting, like, whenever she's on and freaking out, like, 'Oh my god! Did you see that?'," friend Vida Rosauer said, with a laugh.
Xanthe's mum Bronwyn has been by her side the whole way and siblings Lukas and Jasmine and her grandmother Bevelery Fraser have also attended the show.
And whatever the outcome of the show, Xanthe wants to pursue a career in music after finishing year 12.
"I'm hoping to get working on some new music, because I have some things written, and I'm hoping to perform more in Canberra," she said.
But she is dreaming big.
"One day I want to perform at GTM (Groovin' the Moo) and on Triple J," she said with a laugh.
Dickson College principal Craig Edwards said the school was "incredibly proud" of Xanthe.
"Just the courage to take that first step is the thing that impressed me the most," Mr Edwards said. "All the staff, we're all on board. We're watching the show and so excited to keep watching. It's an amazing, amazing achievement so far."
Xanthe paid tribute to her music teachers at Dickson College, Sandra France and Rod Harding.
"I really care about what my music teachers think because they're the people who see me every day and see me grow to be able to play my own music," she said.
- The Voice is on Prime7 on Sunday at 7pm.
