By now 15 years into a prolific and diverse career, Rei has captured the hearts of many with his smooth voice, ambitiously energetic performances and bilingual Māori wit. The Auckland urban/electronic ...
READ MORE >Nurtured as an artist in a small urban township, 25-year old country pop artist Jenni Smith is now a uni-graduated singer-songwriter who happily embraces the girl-next-door image with her straightforward, ...
READ MORE >Results of the November 2025 Waiata Takitahi funding round have been announced with 15 waiata to benefit from grants of up $15,000 per single, to be released in the coming year. Waiata Takitahi looks to support bilingual waiata that has great broadcast and online audience potential, and incorporates a minimum 25% te reo Māori in the song lyrics. It is an annual Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air co-funded music round. The judging panel included Ani-Piki Tuari (freelance), Kara Rickard (RNZ), Moana ...
READ MORE >Play It Strange has announced a second season of their podcast series launching on November 24, with new episodes every Monday. The 10-episode podcast On The Record with Chaii, will be hosted by artist, producer and Play It Strange alumni Chaii. On The Record with Chaii speaks on different perspectives of the music industry and aims to educate and entertain, acting as a resource for emerging musicians, helping them navigate the industry and their careers - from songwriting tips to live performance ...
READ MORE >Christchurch's SOLE Music Academy has announced a new Hybrid Online Learning Option is being made available for their 2026 Artist Development Programme, commencing 26 January 2026, enhanced with the opportunity of an Emerging Artist Scholarship to attend. Designed for young creatives aged 17 years and up, SOLE’s Artist Development Programme supports talented singers, songwriters, producers, and bands ready to kickstart their music careers. Led by platinum award-winning neo-soul artist Sacha ...
READ MORE >The first recipients of NZ On Air’s New Music Project Touring (NMPT) fund have been announced, with 10 solo artists and 10 groups each receiving grants of up to $50,000, covering up to 50% of the related eligible touring costs. This first pilot round attracted 36 applications with 20 artists receiving funding from a total available pool of $500,000. The announcement including news that the NMPT fund will return in 2026. Announced in July the NMPT fund was designed to help local acts take ...
READ MORE >Formed in 2023, Christchurch rock three-piece The Rainfall identify Blink-182 and Foo Fighters among inspirations for their evolving pop punk sound, delivering on the promise with high energy live performances and music videos. Frontman Matt Clark answers NZM’s questions about No Good, their latest single which NZ On Air Music included on the November NewTracks compilation. Who are The Rainfall members and what instruments do you play? Matt Clark - vocals and guitar; Makka Freedom - vocals ...
READ MORE >2025 has been a productive year for richly-voiced Tāmaki Makaurau pop artist Lottie, with four singles released and her first ever Australian show. Lottie has an extensive background in dance and is no stranger to the stage, or the unexpected challenges of life. Not right now is a smooth, emotional, chill playlist track that was included on NZ On Air Music’s November NewTracks compilation. What is your given name and where are you from? What instruments do you play? Charlotte ...
READ MORE >Hiva Folau Vaka - Vaka Carrying Music is a legacy project for the Pacific Music Awards Trust, an album of songs developed to highlight and aid the revitalisation of at-risk Pacific languages. The 22-track compilation album was released late November, 2025. Co-project leader Petrina Togi-Sa’ena, MNZM, provided NZ Musician with this overview. Music is an important way that families, communities and cultures retain their languages – especially when living away from their homelands. Through ...
READ MORE >Hailing from the bush and black sand beaches of west Tāmaki Makaurau, Double Parked is a community – as the band like to describe it. The indie rock five-piece bring lost-in-the-groove post-surf tunes, alongside emotive alt-rock ballads about the troubles of life. ‘I'm finding it hard/ just waiting for my efforts/ to be reflected’ they sing on recent single Necklace, which was included on NZ On Air Music’s November NewTracks compilation. Who are Double Parked? Where are you all from ...
READ MORE >Shape-shifting Tāmaki Makaurau artist Goodspace has always been a project of multiple collaborations and forms, Jefferson Chen performing as a soloist or indie band, composing for immersive theatre and short films, and curating fun performance installations. Following last year’s album, ‘Let’s Talk About Death’, Goodspace cycles back with Easier Said Than Done a charmed alt-indie number that was included on NZ On Air Music’s November NewTracks compilation. Easier Said Than Done ...
READ MORE >From the glossy electropop of 2016 breakout single Roam to the sharp-edged hyperpop of ‘99% Angel’ EP, to the soft, organic reo Māori of her side project TE KAAHU, Em-Haley Walker’s artistry has evolved considerably over the past decade. ‘Girl, In A Savage World,’ Walker’s long-anticipated debut album as the artist Theia pushes that evolution still further. Melding folk, electropop and her Māori roots, the album sees Theia finding her own unique and purposeful voice. She talked with ...
READ MORE >Added to successful tours of both the South and North Islands, Coast Arcade have in recent months played two showcases at Brisbane’s BIGSOUND industry event, along with headline shows in Melbourne and Sydney – building to the October release of their debut album ‘Coast Arcade’. Odessa Neilands talked mid-tour with the Auckland rock band’s songwriters, Bella Bavin and Leo Spykerman. Coast Arcade’s debut album is sensibly self-titled. The straight rock grooves from drummer Thom Boynton, ...
READ MORE >Wellington pop-punk artist Dani Josie is stepping into the spotlight with her first-ever headline tour. The SUCKERPUNCH Spring Tour will hit Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Auckland this September and October, with special guest Emerson joining the run. Tickets are available at danijosie.com
READ MORE >From 15-19 October, the annual Wellington Jazz Festival returns to the capital with a powerhouse programme of internationally acclaimed artists making their Aotearoa debuts, leading homegrown musicians, and fresh new music. More than 100 gigs will take over Te Whanganui-a-Tara, transforming the city with the sounds of jazz - soul, swing, funk, and everything in between. Featuring some of the finest musicians from across Aotearoa and around the globe, for 2025 the festival’s First Release acts will ...
READ MORE >Bic Runga & the Auckland Phil will be together in concert at the Aotea Centre, Saturday September 6. One of Aotearoa’s most highly awarded and cherished recording artists, Bic Runga's iconic tracks have woven themselves into the country’s cultural tapestry for more than two decades. This extraordinary concert will feature a soul-stirring performance of her greatest hits, with a setlist including beloved classics like Something Good, Precious Things and Bursting Through, re-imagined with ...
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