The venerable Smokefree Rockquest 2022 celebrated the high school music competition’s 35th anniversary with a very welcome live national final (as well as the Smokefree Tangata Beats final) at Q Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau central over the weekend of September 23/24.

With lots of saxophones and something for most tastes among the 10 finalist acts, Smoked Paprika from Hillcrest High School in Hamilton were named the winning band, while first place in the Solo-duo category went to Zac And Maddison who are pupils from Garin College and Waimea College in Nelson. 

The line-up of Smoked Paprika is Ephraim Frame (lead guitar), Ollie Neil (rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals), Arlo Oliver (Keyboard, Synthesizer), Josh Hogarty (drums), and Sage Garrett (bass). With two excellent musicians in Zac Griffith on guitar plus vocals and Maddison Connor on keys and vocals, Zac And Maddison won their category ahead of second-place-getters Grace & Leigh, representing Albany Senior High and Kristin School on Auckland’s North Shore.

Although pipped for a first place prize, it was a great weekend for Stay In It from Palmerston North Girls High School who took second place in the band category and also won the Best Song award which includes having a song professionally recorded and $5000 in musical equipment. Adding to that success Stay In It also placed second in the Smokefree Tangata Beats staged the night before. The Manawatū band’s line-up is Rhema Brown (guitar, sax, lead vocals), Victoria Brown (drums, vocals), Roseta Leau (keys, vocals), and Natasha Vilivili (bass, keys, vocals). 

Sounds Of La Salle, from De La Salle College in South Auckland won the Smokefree Tangata Beats final, praised by judges for their stage presence and performance. Their line-up is Sebastian Nisa (guitar), Joshua Alo (vocals), Ioane Pasikala (bass), Fonteyn Olofai (keys), Psalms Vaotuua (drums) and Faingia Fo (vocals). Ioane Pasikala also picked up the Musicianship Award.

The awards presented at the Smokefreerockquest national final were: 

• 1st place Band: Smoked Paprika, Hillcrest High School
• 2nd: Stay In It,  Palmerston North Girls High School
• 3rd: The Jehts, Christchurch Girls’ High School, Christchurch Boys’ High School, Avonside Girls’ High School
• 1st place Solo/Duo: Zac and Maddison, Garin College and Waimea College
• 2nd: Grace & Leigh, Albany Senior High School and Kristin School
• Musicianship Award: Ezra Beckett from Their There, Mt Maunganui College
• Best Vocals Award: Grace & Leigh, Albany Senior High School and Kristin School
• Best Song Award: Stay In It, Palmerston North Girls High School (first song)
• Lyric Award: Cindy Xiong, St Andrew’s College
• Electronic Performance Award: Micha, Mt Maunganui College

The awards presented at the Smokefree Tangata Beats national final were: 

• 1st place Band: Sounds Of La Salle, De La Salle College
• 2nd place: Stay In It, Palmerston North Girls High School
• 3rd place: Nga Rau Mahara, Gisborne Girls High School
• 1st place Solo/Duo: Destiny Tilialo, Papatoetoe High School
• Musicianship award: Ioane Pasikala from Sounds Of La Salle, De La Salle College
• Mana Wahine Award: Rhema Brown from Stay In It, Palmerston North Girls High School
• Best Song: Destiny Tilialo, Papatoetoe High School
• Best Vocal: Salem Randall from Turanga Tane Rebels, Gisborne Boys High School
• Te Reo Award: Turanga Tane Rebels, Gisborne Boys High School