Interviews
Captain Festus McBoyle: Bubble & Scrape
The Covid-19 lockdowns have been hard on many of us, and often overlooked in news and media is the fact that children were part of it, too. Children's musician - no - make that full-time musical pirate, ...
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NEWS
Soundsystem Project Gets Raglan Youth Into Music
In February 2020, fifteen 13-18 year-olds from Whaingaroa/Raglan took part in a youth programme by the Soundsystem Project, spending a week of after-school sessions creating and recording lyrics, melodies and beats for original songs, a music video, as well as building and learning to operate a portable 12V sound system to share their sounds on. After months of Covid-19-related restrictions, this month, the team and their 2020 group, now named Āhurei Vibes, have finally been able to release the ...
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2020 Waiata Māori Music Awards
Due to the continuing threat of Covid-19 the 2020 Waiata Māori Music Awards event was staged online on Friday, October 9. L.A.B further illustrated their recent dominance of the local scene with four major awards for 2020 – claiming the Best Single by a Māori Artist (In The Air), Best Pop Album by a Māori Artist ('L.A.B. III'), Best Māori Group and Best Māori Songwriter titles. “I want to give a massive shout out to our families," said vocalist Joel Shadbolt after winning the Best Pop ...
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Applications Open For Aotearoa Touring Programme Funding
The Music Commission have announced the Aotearoa Touring Programme, with applications now open in two of the three planned funding tiers. One of the significant initiatives within the Government’s NZ Music Recovery Fund, the Aotearoa Touring Programme is part of the Ministry of Culture & Heritage-led Arts & Culture Covid Recovery Programme, which is focused on the recovery, regeneration and revitalisation of the cultural sector. ATP funding is aimed at supporting both emerging and established ...
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Inaugural Aotearoa Music Awards Finalists
Finalists for the newly renamed Aotearoa Music Awards | Nga Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa, (the Tuis) have been announced. Longtime fan favourites Six60, who coincidentally have a feature film due out in November, are frontrunners for dominance of the inaugural 2020 AMA ceremony, filling five awards finalist spots. Six60 are in the running for Album of the Year, Single of The Year, Best Group, Best Pop Artist, and the new Te Māngai Pāho Mana Reo award (recognising albums or singles with at least 50% te ...
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NewTracks New Artist
NewTracks New Artist: Neko
It’s hard to imagine that Serious could be the first single that singer-songwriter Neko has released, her gymnastic voice is assured, and courtesy of a smart production team there’s a real sense of strength behind the youthful lightness of touch. NZ On Air Music agreed on the quality of the song and featured it on their NewTracks compilation this October. What’s your full name, where are you from and what do you play? My full name is Nganeko Kaera Whakaaro Wilson-Newman, it stands for the ...
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The Phoenix Foundation: Transit Of Phoenix
It’s a Tuesday morning in September 2020, and Samuel Flynn Scott is at home, about to go into promotion mode for Landline, the new Phoenix Foundation single. It’s their second single from ‘Friend Ship’ – the band’s first album in five years – and one he rates highly, putting it “…up there with our top three albums” alongside 2005’s ‘Pegasus’ and ‘Buffalo’ from 2010. Amanda Mills talked with him, Covid styles, via Zoom. Made with the support of NZ On Air. Friend Ship ...
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Sola Rosa: Chasing The Sun – Track By Track
Looking at the evolution of Andrew Spraggon’s Sola Rosa over the 19 years since the release of first album ‘Solarized’, one thing is clear; he has increasingly creatively engaged with more and more artists to collaborate on his music. His sixth album, not counting a variety of remixed/enhanced ones, the funky neo-soul groover ‘Chasing The Sun’ was largely recorded in London. Released in late September 2020, the album features 10 guests, plus a small legion of talented studio musicians both ...
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NewTracks New Artist: Jessy & The Volunteers
This one’s one for all those struggling with insomnia, those who really aren’t relaxed about watching 2020 slip away in a state of lockdown, those who’d definitely prefer to be dancing than waiting. Jessy & The Volunteers are a big enough band to include sax and trumpet, and a charismatic singer (Jessy Wadeson) who brings the high energy focus for their funky groove. You might have come across their fun Phone Face video mid-2019, but either way watch out now cos Time Is Laughing. The single ...
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Fresh Talent: Jarna
Auckland-based artist Jarna Parsons, known professionally as Jarna, has been playing guitar since she was eight and started singing and writing songs in high school. In 2020 she has emerged as an artist with a laid back RnB sound, a strong focus on vocal hooks and relatable lyrics. In March this year, Jarna released ‘Memoirs For The Brokenhearted’, a project which, she explains, is a mixtape rather than an album. “It’s just a bunch of songs that don’t really relate to each other. An ...
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NewTracks New Artist: Aacacia
‘Maybe one day’ sings sultry pop newcomer Aacacia – that name a short stretch from the one she’s had since birth – itself a forever reminder of her childhood on the sunny shores of Aotearoa’s largest lake. Acacia Walker has a richly layered voice that’s stand out enough to catch the ears of some of our best current pop exponents on Instagram, and more recently NZ On Air, who have included her debut single Bend on their NewTracks compilation this September. What’s your given name, ...
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Nic And Reuben: Home Alone With Pat
The enforced isolation of Covid-19 lockdown was good for some, among them Nicholas Clayton and Reuben Brady (aka Nic and Reuben), musical compadres whose Spotify description reads, ‘…two old-fashioned lover boys making music.’ The Wellington duo used the time to create a new album subsequently released at the end of June, one they have appropriately titled ‘Pass/Time’. Margaret Gordon had a chat with them. Living in a flat with three others, plus Pat the cat, Nic and Reuben put their ...
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Photo Galleries
Record Store Day 2020
After a number of Covid-19-related delays, Record Store Day 2020 in Aotearoa took place on September 26, and like every year, photographer Trevor Villers went along to see what was happening in Auckland City. Here is a small selection of his many photos, including opening time queues, "plenty of masks (but no ear muffs!)", as Trevor observes, and, of course, lots of records.
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NZM Presents: Rubita Album Release Tour
Rubita is thrilled to invite North Islanders to one of the stopovers of the release tour for her debut indie-pop album 'Distinctive Thrill' this September. Rubita is the stage name for singer/songwriter Rachel Kibblewhite, who infuses her sweet and sparkling indie-pop with sultry, tropical melodies channelling the likes of Zero 7, Kimbra and Nancy Sinatra. Covid-19 or not, this tour is happening, and you can join the party of your choice. September 11, Wellington September 12, Whanganui September ...
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Event Guide: Live Vibes w/ The Vibes, Strangely Arousing & Otium
How about recreating that cushy, cruisey, comfy lockdown feeling one more time, but this time with live sets by full bands you can stream from the convenience of your home sofa! Bringing you the full groove online at Live Vibes will be a line up consisting of Auckland X-factor funksters The Vibes, Strangely Arousing (Rotorua) and Otium (Whangarei), whose combined you-gotta-see-this live shows will be broadcast on Freeview Channel 200, as well as various social media channels, including NZM's own ...
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