Wangaratta's Jade Gibson was set to perform as a top 10 finalist at the festival's life changing Star Maker competition this month, but says she was devastated when it was postponed to April due to fears of it spreading the virus.

"It's been rescheduled to the 18th to the 24th, so instead of a 10 day festival it'll now be a seven day festival, which is obviously a big change," she said.

"I was really excited and I felt like this time it was going to happen for me and happen for the whole industry and to see another festival go down is so heartbreaking.

"I don't like to be that person that pits the arts against sport, but just to see the cricket and the Australian Open, they're all so backed, they would never think to pull things like that.

"Tamworth Country Music Festival is a nationwide, renowned festival, so for that to drop, to get pulled so last minute when everything else is so fought for is just so devastating."

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Ms Gibson said the Star Maker competition, which is recognised for it's ability to skyrocket country artists' careers into 'the big time', was still going ahead, but it wouldn't be the same.

"If I was to go and win, or whoever else was to go and win, instead of having 12 months under that title you only have eight, so it does suck," she said.

"It's just a bummer when other things are still going ahead.

"I'm just a bit stuck this week, I took almost two weeks off for the festival and I'm just sitting around trying not to overthink everything that I'm missing out on, but while it's a postponement which is better than a cancellation, its still cancelled really, I've still got these two weeks were I'm not doing anything and I've lost that time and then I'm going to have to restart myself in a couple of months to get ready for it again and hopefully it goes ahead, but it's just such a hard time."

Ms Gibson said she and fellow musicians had been hoping 2022 would be different after the last two years were so interrupted by COVID-19 restrictions.

"I just want every one to stay safe and I really understand that the decision that Tamworth has made, but it just really goes to show just how much our music industry is hurting right now," she said.

"Anytime anything starts going wrong music events seem to be the first thing that's pulled.

"It's so hard to stay upbeat when every opportunity is just taken away from us."

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