NewTracks New Artist: Tess Liautaud
Tess Liautaud grew up an American in France and she has now brought her softly honest folk-pop sound to NZ. Travelling Te Waipounamu in her van, Tess considers herself a nomad and goes wherever the music ...
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News
2022 Pacific Music Awards Finalists Announced
The finalists for the 2022 Pacific Music Awards have been announced, and leading the finalist nominations are Tomorrow People with four chances to win as Best Pacific Group, Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist and Best Pacific Music Album for '21'. Ikon Music (Avina Kelekolio, Hennie Tui and Tana Tupai), the producers responsible for the Tomorrow People album are also finalists in the Best Producer category. Previous multi-award winners Kings and SWIDT are each finalists for three awards this ...
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Jenny Mitchell Claims 2022 Best Country Music Song Award
Winner of the 2022 Best Country Music Song Award for 2022 is Jenny Mitchell's stirring track Trouble Finds A Girl feat Tami Neilson written by the alt-country artist who hails from NZ's home of country music, Gore, along with Tami Neilson, Chris Wethey and Tali Jenkinson (Vallé). The four collaborated on the song at an APRA Songhubs songwriting camp held in Ōtautahi. It was inspired by Mitchell and Neilson’s personal experiences working in the industry as well as the work of Stuff journalist Alison ...
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2022 Aotearoa Music Awards Nominations Open, Ceremony Off
Announcing that nominations for the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards are now open, Recorded Music NZ has simultaneously dropped the bombshell news that there will be none of the usual public celebrations with televised coverage of a major award ceremony. Sarah Owen, Recorded Music NZ Kaiwhakahaere o Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa, says the awards will look a bit different this year. There will be nominations, finalists, and Tūī winners as usual, with a special invite-only celebration later in the year ...
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Music and Sound Subsidy Programme in Christchurch
Saltbox Studios invite artists to apply for the Music and Sound Subsidy programme that will provide studio access for Ōtautahi musicians to create and promote their work. With the support of the Christchurch City Council the programme offers subsidies for 20 artists or bands to produce new music, with two Ōtautahi artists being recorded each month over the period between June 2022 and May 2023. For the next year, they are seeking applications from the community to take part in this programme. ...
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Interviews
Arun O’Connor: Forged From Friendship
Recorded in Nashville, via Invercargill and Auckland, the debut album from Arun O’Connor, ’Songs From The Reading Room’ introduces a strong new alt-country/rock singer-songwriter talent to our country music scene. True he’s been a successful musician for at least half his life, but until now that’s meant playing other people’s songs. Arun talked with Richard Thorne. Songs from the Reading Room by Arun O'Connor Invercargill’s Arun O’Connor can draw an unusually direct line from ...
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Rob Ruha: Matariki With The APO
Thursday, 23 June will see the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) celebrating Matariki by performing with the scintillating musical star that is Rob Ruha in a concert promising a night of uplifting haka soul. But wait, there's more stars with the Tik Tok-famed rangatahi choir Ka Hao and Ruha's own incredible band The Witch Doctor. also crowding the Auckland Town Hall stage. NZM welcomed the opportunity to ask Rob Ruha a few questions about the safety of the Great Hall roof on this once-in-a-lifetime ...
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Steve Tofa: Bringing Leni To Life
Formerly frontman for Auckland indie rock/soul five-piece The Mercenaries, Steve Tofa is these days progressing along his own musical journey, making and recording as a singer-songwriter from the comforts of a backroom in his Tāmaki Makaurau home. With the release of his second solo album, ’Koko Stax (The Legend of Leni Mafu)’, he talked with Jemilah Ross-Hayes about the intriguing story behind it. KOKO STAX (The Legend of Leni Mafu) by Steve Tofa Steve Tofa’s achievement of releasing ...
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Ex-Pat Files: Ellery Daines
Multi-instrumentalist, rock songwriter, and musician Ellery Daines left Auckland in 2018 to follow his then-girlfriend (now-wife) to Tromsø, Norway. Though finding it difficult to start from scratch in a small arctic town, he discovered that Norway respects rock music as a professional career and a genuinely valuable part of local culture. Over the last five years he's established himself as a producer and engineer, alongside releasing his debut album, ’Failure Thirty Minutes Deep’, in April ...
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NewTracks New Artist: Becca Caffyn
These days based in the big smoke of Auckland city, Becca Caffyn has spent a year writing songs and developing her sound through the Parachute Artist Development Programme. She knew gentle folk-pop tune Stair Kids was going to be her debut single from the moment it was born, and NZ On Air Music has noticed its catchiness too, adding the single to their NewTracks compilation this June. What's your full name, where are you from and what instruments do you play? My name’s Rebecca Caffyn ...
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Bakers Eddy: Hi-Vis Antics
Originating in Wellington as a schoolboy skater band back in 2009, Bakers Eddy have this March released a debut album that has drawn enthusiastic praise for its freewheeling blend of indie and punk, music that’s as exuberantly fun as it is youthfully frantic. Lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Ciarann Babbington talked with NZM’s Richard Thorne about the band’s last four years living in Melbourne, the ups and downs of which have resulted in ’Love Boredom Bicycles’. Bakers Eddy · ...
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Fresh Talent: Mads Harrop
With lyrical and vocal honesty to the fore, Mads Harrop merges emotional vulnerability with a sharp, rock-driven guitar tone in her music, prominent in her recently released single Hiding In Colour. Citing the likes of AK79 and 1970’s punk as inspiration, her tracks ring out with the infectiously simple energy of classic punk. She talks to Charlotte Lovrin about her songwriting process and the meaning behind her songs. Contagious by Mads Harrop Since her first 3-song release in 2020, ‘Contagious’, ...
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Event Guide
Jan Hellriegel and Catherine Tunks Live
Toi Toi Music announces Jan Hellriegel performing live, solo and acoustic on June 25 at Lopdell House Theatre Titirangi, Auckland, with guest support from fellow west Auckland songstress Catherine Tunks. After cutting her teeth with the Dunedin-based Cassandra’s Ears, Jan Hellriegel burst onto the NZ music scene in the early '90s with ‘It’s My Sin’, her debut rock album which peaked at number 5 in the national charts. Accompanied by a poignant book to give background and context to the ...
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Illuminate Matariki Free Shows
Illuminate Matariki will see some of the country's finest piano-based musicians performing a series of innovative twilight concerts held at special locations around Tāmaki Makaurau, all free to the public. Organisers suggest that audiences rug up, bring chairs, snacks and hot drinks - and get set for a spectacular visual and musical feast. Technology at each Illuminate Matariki event will enable the piano notes to trigger a captivating light show unique to each song. The shows begin with a performance ...
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APO Celebrating Matariki With Rob Ruha & Haka For The Soul
The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra will celebrate Matariki with one of our brightest musical stars on Thursday 23 June. Rob Ruha (Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Ngati Porou, Tainui, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa, Nga Puhi, Rongowhakaata, Nga Ariki) will lead a night of uplifting music - haka soul - with world-famous rangatahi choir Ka Hao and the ātaahua tones of the APO. The powerhouse of progressive Māori music and self-described “artivist”, Rob Ruha’s dynamic celebration of Te Pō (the night ) and ...
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