Mark Williams aka M.C. Slave
Moderator - Cushla Aston
Cushla Aston (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Pikiao) is the founder of Aston Rd, a boutique artist management company representing soulful singer-songwriter Louis Baker. Cushla is the current Chair of the Music Managers Forum Aotearoa, a Senior Lecturer in the Bachelor of Commercial Music at Massey University, and a former mentor for Te Māngai Pāho's Māori music development programme.
Priya Sami
Priya Sami is a silly, sensitive musician from Onehunga who’s been singing forever and writing songs since she was 13, starting out in choirs, jazz bands, Rockquest, and covers bands.
After a long musical journey, she’s now pouring it all into her new project, BUB, whose debut album Can’t Even is out now.
Cuillin Hearty
Vera Ellen
Aotearoa Music Award winning and Taite Prize winning artist Vera Ellen was born and raised in Naenae in Te Whanganui-A-Tara/Wellington. She spent her younger years playing and writing music, her first song written at age 8. Whilst living in Aotearoa, she played in bands such as grunge 4-piece Maple Syrup and Sweater. Vera relocated to Los Angeles, where she started the band Girl Friday, whose music debuted on indie giant Sub Pop’s sub-label, Hardly Art.
Gavin Downie
Gavin Downie has held the role of Event organiser for Auckland Councils Music in Parks for 7 years booking over 360 acts in those years. In his freelance work he has been production manager on the huge Waitangi Waititi event in west Auckland. Toured with everyone from Wiz Khalifa to the Cranberries across the globe and checked off hundreds and hundreds of locals tours, festivals and shows. He also fits in time to run a business as a media composer selling tracks worldwide since 2020.
