Music Commission News

This year’s theme was community + collaboration, focused on working together to build a more connected and collaborative musical landscape across Aotearoa – from songwriting experiments, content co-creation, partnerships to engage and grow audiences, right through to community events.

Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome to the final e-newsletter for TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA | NZ Music Month 2023!
Our weekly e-newsletters have showcased the plethora of exciting activities occurring across Aotearoa throughout May, with a huge number of events taking place from the top of the country to the bottom. We are taking this opportunity to highlight some of the awesome stuff that happened during this year’s NZ Music Month!

KEY NEWS:
• Epic billboards of amazing Kiwi artists were on display in Queens Street during NZMM thanks to Spotify! Kiwi artists Navvy & Foley were both also featured on the Spotify Times Square billboard in NYC!

• The Project featured a weekly segment throughout NZ Music Month called “On The Rise”. They showcased & celebrated 4 up and coming Kiwi artists during the month featuring Lou’ana, Pickle Darling, Vera Ellen and No Comply.

• 1News Tonight used Kiwi artist’s music during the weather each night and have had some brilliant pieces on emerging NZ artists.

• Seven Sharp have also been exclusively using NZ music in and out of every ad break, and featured brilliant pieces on Waiata Anthems artist Chad Chambers; and on why Kiwi singers used to use an American accent. Ben Hurley chatted to Matt Heath from Radio Hauraki and Liz Stokes from The Beths to investigate the change. Watch the segment here.

• Rolling Stone AU/NZ has been running amazing coverage of local artists throughout the month, with the final week featuring a selection of musicians naming their favourite Aotearoa artists and explaining what makes them so unique.

• Your Weekend, Sunday Magazine and Reset have had NZ musicians grace their covers and a whole host of interviews and articles throughout the month.

• Ensemble Magazine has run a week of great features on new artists, trends and movements in music alongside; and The Spinoff took some excellent looks at the best collaborations, new talent and tried to find the women behind some of NZ music famous song titles.

• As always, local music champions NZ Musician, Under The Radar, Muzic.net.nz and 13th Floor have showcased a huge range of artists from right across Aotearoa all month.

• With over 3,300 votes – AudioCulture’s Poll Results are in!

• The NZ Army Band shared a joyful rendition of Pātea Māori Club classic ‘Poi E’. Watch it here.

ON AIR NEWS:
Radio stations are an essential part of Aotearoa’s music landscape and community – helping break new acts, using their platform to tell stories, promote shows and connect with the public, and this month they have been getting behind ‘Community and Collaboration’.

ZM had their Acoustic Corner, Power Hour, and Classics feature, and More FM ran multiple artist features and interviews. Hauraki’s “Trees That Count” campaign was truly inspiring, with upwards of 350 trees planted and songs played. There was also The Lineup on Mai, 100% all Kiwi tunes on Bayrock, George FM’s Kiwi Back to the Future feature, and feature tracks on The Edge – just to name a few! And the multiple artist appearances in support of the fantastic local releases and tours throughout May have been a real celebration of local talent.

As part of our wrap up, we have received some great highlights to camera from Radio around Aotearoa. Stay tuned to NZ Music Month stories across our social channels to check them out.

• The final instalment of the RNZ feature ‘The Song I Wish I’d Written’ where a mix of some of Aotearoa’s most iconic and promising artists celebrate their most iconic tunes.

• Crescendo launched its new Podcast ‘The Way Through’, where music industry veterans like Greg Harver and Joost Langeveld share from their wealth of experience navigating the ins and outs of the industry.

• RNZ’s popular podcast The Detail’s episode ‘Music: Where the money comes from’ highlighted the financial challenges for musicians in an era of declining revenue. Independent artist Mel Parsons talks about balancing creativity with business while relying on live touring as her main income source.

KEY EVENTS:
• The Small Hall Sessions showcased locally-grown artists and lifted spirits in cyclone-damaged communities of the Hawkes Bay region, coming to 16 community halls from Porangahau in the south to Te Puhoe in the north.

• The Youth & Adults in the Music Industry (YAMI) Sounz Summit was a resounding success, offering a wide range of diverse workshops that educated our Rangitahi on the Music Industry. The event took place in Wanaka on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May 2023. The topics covered during the summit included Songwriting, Demo It, Beat Making, Share Your Sound, I Wanna DJ, Mixing & Mastering, and Jobs in Music. The summit featured a remarkable lineup of top-tier Tutors and speakers, such as Finn Andrews, Anika Moa, Liz Stokes, Anthonie Tonnon, and more, who also delivered outstanding performances during showcases throughout the weekend.

• FromThePit, the highly anticipated annual exhibition of music photography, showcased breathtaking images of New Zealand musicians captured by a talented collective of renowned photographers from across Aotearoa. Celebrating its fifth year, the 2023 edition proved to be an exceptional success, captivating audiences with over 100 captivating images that graced screens nationwide. Notably, four standout photographs were magnificently displayed on giant billboards, generously provided by Phantom Bill Stickers in collaboration with NZMM, enhancing the exhibition’s presence throughout the motu.

• The Koiora Sessions in Rotorua on the 26th at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre saw an amazing couple of days of music and music discussion, with performances by Rei, TY (Smashproof), RnB singer/songwriter Huia, local family group Kingzeye, emerging band ureTohu and soulful duo 2 Mile Bay. The following day, an industry panel for NZ Music Month Rotorua hosted speakers Teresa Patterson (Head of Music at NZ On Air), Ben Wilcock (Music Lectr at Toi Ohomai), TY – Tyree Tautogia (Multi award-winning Hip Hop Artist), Norm Rahiri (Content Director at The Heat FM), Hapeta Manley (Director of All Round Entertainment) and Jackson Owens (Artist).

• Auckland Live presented a series of unforgettable events, showcasing the richness and diversity of the local music scene in the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau. Audiences were captivated by the buskers on the Auckland Live Digital Stage in Aotea Square. The stakes were high as friends gathered for a thrilling New Zealand music quiz at the Wintergarden in The Civic. And attendees were treated to epic street dance showdowns with Pick & Battle at the iconic Auckland Town Hall. These dynamic gatherings by Auckland Live left a lasting impression, celebrating the remarkable talent and vibrant cultural atmosphere of Tāmaki Makaurau.

• Kaitaia MetalFest returned with MetalFest 3 on Saturday, May 6, an unforgettable experience for metal fans up north. The event brought together quality visiting acts from across the country and showcased the immense talent of up-and-coming local bands. MetalFest 3 provided an exceptional concert experience for rockers while offering a platform for emerging metal acts to showcase their talents. Allowing local bands to share the stage with top-tier touring acts, fostering growth, experience, and confidence, Metal Fest epitomized the essence of NZ Music Month’s theme of ‘Community and Collaboration’.

• The AMPS Mix Me’23 workshop during NZMM was a success. Renowned mix engineer and producer Clint Murphy, known for his work with artists such as Enter Shikari, Busted, Melanie C, Devilskin, and many more, shared his expertise with participants, covering all aspects of mixing. The workshop was a valuable opportunity for aspiring producers to enhance their skills and gain valuable knowledge from a seasoned professional, setting them on a path towards success in the music industry.

• After a four year break, Levin NZ Music Fest was back on the 27th. Across six hours and ten venues, over 200 local acts and performers celebrated their awesome homegrown music community.

• The Waiata Reo Showcase 2023 was a beautiful evening, featuring an impressive line-up of artists who delivered exceptional performances. A stella line up including Jordyn With A Why, Majic, Geneva Alexander Marsters, Alya Jade, and Corrella, mesmerised in a concert streamed live from the Tuning Fork. The event also unveiled new releases from both emerging and established artists, complemented by dynamic videos funded by Te Māngai Pāho.

• Wellington Museum had some brilliant events for NZ Music Month: Make a Porotiti Musical Instrument and an interplanetary dance party called Celestial Mechanics under the planetarium dome, featuring local EDM maestros Lotu, Noyer and cbk, accompanied by visuals that highlighted the beautiful Venus and the ferocious Mars for Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa.

• Guitarnival was a highly anticipated event that took place on Friday 19 May. Hosted by Lewis Eady, the event featured a special solo performance by Tom Lark. He enchanted the audience with his stripped back rendition of his captivating back catalogue. Showcasing his mastery of songwriting and gadgetry, Tom Lark delivered a completely unique and intimate show, captivating the audience with his musical artistry.

• Harvey Norman got behind Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa with a special weekly prize pack for school music departments, where schools went into a random draw to win some excellent music kit from Harvey Norman for their classroom by sending in clips of local music performances from their schools. Entries included kapa haka, solo, group, a class and schools taking part. The winning schools were from Taipa, Waihi and Auckland – keep an eye of the NZMM socials to see some of the videos from this year.

• During Music Month, the Auckland Writers Festival hosted exciting music-related events. One highlight was “When I Put the Guitar Down,” featuring Matthew Bannister, Kath Webster, Justin Harwood, and Jay Clarkson. They discussed their music careers and the impact of being in a Flying Nun band. Another notable event was “Turning Katherine’s Poetry into Song” with Charlotte Yates, Julia Deans, Anna Coddington, and Lawrence Arabia. The show showcased live interpretations of songs from the album “Mansfield – In Her Own Words,” celebrating Katherine Mansfield’s poetic legacy.

• The SOLE Speaker Series for NZMM 2023 in Christchurch provided three evenings of discussion and networking around key areas to help grow careers in music.

• The Tuning Fork concert commemorating the forced eviction of protesters at Auckland’s Bastion Point 45 years ago featured an incredible lineup of artists, including Ardijah, Annie Crummer, Herbs, Tigilau Ness, Harry Lyon, Majic, and many more. The audience was treated to an unforgettable evening of performances.

• Re-sounding the Peninsula at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery saw an interactive project where Whaka Oho Rahi/Broad Bay residents collected sounds from their environment, and with the support of local musicians, translated these into musical pieces with Audience-scores, illustrated by students from Broad Bay School. Read more about Re-sounding the Peninsula here.

• At Fancy New Band, part of New Zealand Music Month, 95bFM curated a remarkable lineup of emerging talent from their beloved Friday Morning Glory show. Whammy Bar and Backroom became the epicenter of this musical celebration on Saturday, 27 May. Attendees were treated to captivating performances by Ballot Box, BLUSH.MP3, CHASE WOODS, Chris RL, Elliot and Vincent, ITSYAHYAH, Sabreen Islam, and and topped off with a bit of bFM Karaoke. It was a night filled with the vibrancy and promise of Aotearoa’s music scene.

And – that’s a wrap on Te Mara Puoro o Aotearoa for 2023! Thanks to everyone who was part of the celebrations across the motu and the people who make the music we’ve heard throughout the month. We’re looking forward to following some new artists and discoveries over the coming months!