Introducing: Vox Dawn

Soul stirring single release ‘It Is Well’

Vox Dawn serves up a soul-stirring, earthy, lyrical banquet with the release of her single – ‘It Is Well’  following her first debut album – ‘Sacred Spaces.’ There are songs created that are catchy and linger in your head for a morning and then there are songs that are created that reverberate throughout all of eternity – this is that kind of Music. Born of the whenua and breathed to life by a wairua that recognizes the power of a sound, of a sacred space in which this sound comes to life. This Music is for the audience that is WOKE. An audience that knows music has the power to make and change through story telling and the stories told call us to act for those whom justice has not been kind to. Ihumātao is a beautiful example of this. The first single – ‘It is well’ was first written as an outro for the album but along the journey it was re-thought and re-purposed during recent visits to Parihaka. ‘It Is Well’ was written to alter the status quo and to offer a fresh new sound, to introduce a game-changing artist Vox Dawn that represents the present, future and past.

 Important info
This first single release ‘It Is Well’ was written in mind of our nations hero’s such as Whina Cooper, Te Puea Herangi, Eva Rickard, Sir Apirana Ngata, Te Whiti o Rongomai, Tohu Kākahi and more. It speaks of resilience and mana, it speaks of passion, the ahi kaa (burning fire) within, it speaks of a people that are content to continue to press forward and not give up.

‘It Is Well’ is currently on all online outlets listen here

Listening Party
(limited spaces only)
Date: Fri 31st May 2019
Time: 8-10pm 
Venue: 'The 13th Floor' 206 Symonds St, Auckland City

 Album release party
Date: Sat 1st June 2019
Time: 8-10pm
Venue: Creative Waikato 11 Garden Place, Hamilton

Following the single is the release of the music video on May 27th 2019. Then with much patience the album release will be Saturday 1st June in memory of and the birth date of Te Waiora Waetford, Vox Dawn’s younger brother whom passed away from leukemia 14 years ago. This album grew from a place that was journeyed. ‘Sacred Spaces’ is derived from the words 'Wāhi Tapu' in Te Reo Māori. This album emphasizes spaces within the social content, infrastructure, government laws and systems particularly those that have impacted our culture. It speaks of significant times in our history, life, relationships and endeavors. This album emanates from the place where a soul stress meets a rhyme, a space where grace meets gritty. This album features artist such as Marina Alefosia (Spoken word artist), James Brooks aka JB the WAR Villain (Hip-hop artist and producer), Produced by Erik Lopeti aka E-NICE MUSIC, Co-produced, mixed and mastered by Lance Kingi from Taupiri Sound.

Artist bio
“I am Ngāpuhi, NgātiWai and from the beautiful Island of Manihiki.
Vox – simply means voice. Dawn – derived from my mother’s name ‘Tauata’ comes from our tupuna travels, in watching the horizon in the morning. I am grounded in who I am because of them.”

TAHURI MAI A NEW MUSIC VIDEO CELEBRATION for NZ MUSIC MONTH by TONI HUATA

In celebration of NZ Music Month and within the spirit of aroha Toni Huata releases her fourth music video Tahuri Mai, from her new album Te Rerenga – The Journey.

Toni is happy to announce the release of her new music video Tahuri Mai a love song written and composed by Adrian Tangaroa Wagner and Toni Huata, produced by Paddy Free, filmed by Motion Valley and funded by Te Māngai Pāho.

Toni says,“I’m excited to release my fourth video ‘Tahuri Mai’ to celebrate this month of NZ and Māori music, the spirit of aroha, my husband Adrian’s birthday and on Mother’s Day. So many kaupapa but all relevant to the celebration of this song. We released Tahuri Mai to Māori radio as a single originally and with this new video it is now track 14 on Te Rerenga – The Journey album.

Tahuri Mai - I Tunes

Tahuri Mai - Spotify Track 14

Tahuri Mai Original Single Notes

I love how Tahuri Mai has developed into this sunshine, happy feeling of Summer.Itreminds me of our honeymoon in Vanuatu and travels to sunny places throughout Aotearoa, the pacific and the world. Thanks to Paddy, Pos and Pat for their spirit in this song. The video follows the day in the lives of a young couple and takes us to stunning locations in Wellington. Many thanks to Scott, Hayley, Canaan, Mat and our beautiful talent John and Mariarangi. Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa”.

THE OFFICIAL 2019 MUSIC MONTH SUMMIT - INTRODUCING OUR MODERATORS

The Official NZ Music Month Summit returns Saturday 25 May, and we are thrilled to announce our moderators for this year’s special event. Four new industry experts will join a stellar line-up of spokespeople who will elaborate on the joys and pitfalls of this year’s topic, live music performance.
 
Covering all perspectives, whether it’s booking a show, production tips, getting your gig out there or looking after yourself on the road, Discover Live will offer invaluable insights that will help you navigate the live music journey like a pro.
 
Held at the Herald Theatre Aotea Square in Auckland from 10am, the NZ Music Month Summit will feature four separate panel sessions with industry leaders who will discuss all aspects of this vital section of the music industry.
 
The full line-up of Discover Live subjects, moderators and speakers are:

LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF ON THE ROAD
Going on tour sounds like it is a whole lot of fun, and it is! But it can take a toll on an individual’s wellbeing, health and relationships.  This will address the various pitfalls and give tips on how to exercise self-care while on the road.
Moderator: Calvin Culverwell
Calvin works for Parachute Music where he oversees community development and support. With a decade of experience in a support capacity with people, Calvin is particularly passionate about seeing musicians healthy and flourishing in their profession.

Session speakers: Laughton Kora, Tami Neilson and Julia Deans.

MARKETING & PROMOTING LIVE SHOWS
Performing live is a crucial talent to master for any artist with reputations being made or broken from a show performance.   Industry experts give insight into the various ways to successfully market and promote shows, no matter what level of experience the artist is at. 
 
Moderator: Cushla Aston
Cushla Aston is the founder and C.E.O of Aston Rd, a boutique artist management company who navigates the career of full-time musicians Louis Baker and Julia Deans. Committed to the full-spectrum of artist marketing, management and support, Cushla is an active participant in the New Zealand music industry, and has been on the Executive Committee for the Music Managers Forum for 6 years and is a part-time Senior Lecturer at Massey University teaching Artist Development.

Session speakers: Matt Harvey, Anna Loveys, Mel Parsons and Harry Pettit.

PRODUCTION, TIPS OF THE TRADE
For everyone who has practiced hard and now there is a gig to perform. This panel covers what questions should be asked in advance to ensure stress free show for all involved. Production gurus share their knowledge and insight to a stress free live performance setup.
 
Moderator: Savina Kim
Savina Kim began organising all ages shows from the age of 16, with a mission to create more accessible music events in Auckland. After gaining a certificate in Live Sound and Event Production and a Diploma in Music and Event Management at MAINZ, Savina has continued to work various areas of the music industry including music publishing and supervision (Mushroom Music, Native Tongue), events, tours and festivals (Solid Entertainment, R&V), and as an event manager at Auckland Stadiums. Savina is currently an Account Manager at Auckland Live.

Session speakers: Carol Harding, Chris Tate and Tom Anderson.

FESTIVAL BOOKERS
Some of New Zealand's top festival bookers will give tips on what they’re looking for when putting together a festival line up. 
 
Moderator: Wairere Iti
Wairere Iti has been involved in New Zealand music for over 30 years. As a co-founder of Auckland-based booking agency Graffiti Entertainment, he has toured bands extensively throughout Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand and has worked as a tour manager for some of New Zealand’s top acts. Currently, Wairere is the operations manager for the Soundsplash festival in Raglan and also runs his tech start-up, Akudos, a cloud-based management platform which is used by the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and the APRA Silver Scroll Awards.

Session speakers: Hamish Pinkham, Gerry Paul, Gavin Downie and Rachel Turney.

With special thanks to our friends at APRA AMCOS, lunch will be provided to the first 100 people who register for the Official NZ Music Month Summit. 
 
There will be an opportunity to ask APRA representatives questions during the lunch break, with meal catering by the initiative Eat My Lunch which provides food for hungry kiwi kids.
 

Remember across NZ Music Month to share your live music experiences on social media with #discoverlivenz and #nzmusicmonth.
 

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster now - they cost $10 (plus booking fees). 

100% of the ticket income will be donated to MusicHelps, a charity dedicated to changing lives through music.   
 
If the ticket price will be a barrier to you attending, please contact Lorraine Owen at the MMF –lorraine.owen@mmf.co.nz.
 

 
NZ Music Managers Forum, NZ Music Commission in association with APRA AMCOS, NZ On Air and Auckland Live present
 
The 2019 Official NZ Music Month Summit 
Saturday May 25
The Herald Theatre – Aotea Square, Auckland
10am to 4pm
Tickets from Ticketmaster

HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR MUSIC - QUEENSTOWN & INVERCARGILL

NZ Music Managers Forum, Recorded Music New Zealand, APRA AMCOS, Creative Communities Queenstown Lake District and Invercargill City present

HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR MUSIC

Seminar – Queenstown and Invercargill

The NZ Music Managers Forum in conjunction with Creative Communities Queenstown Lakes District and Invercargill City, Recorded Music NZ and APRA AMCOS have joined forces for an essential seminar for Queenstown and Southland based musicians, managers, self managed artists and anyone interested in the NZ Music Industry.  The free seminars will be held on Tuesday June 18th in Queenstown and Wednesday June 19th in Invercargill.

Bringing together some of the Music Industries top agencies and executives, the seminar subject is  ‘How to Make Money from Your Music’ and will cover such topics as: how your music will make money via APRA AMCOS and Recorded Music NZ’s Direct to Artist Scheme; the different forms of digital income, a focus on Spotify - their playlists and the essential data and analytics you can access, touring, merchandising, sync income and much more.

Speakers are:

•  Victoria Kelly            APRA AMCOS (Director of NZ Members Services)

• Ladi 6                         ARTIST

• Andy Low                  DRM (General Manager)

• Teresa Patterson     NZ MUSIC MANAGERS FORUM

• Liz Diamond            RECORDED MUSIC NZ (Head of Licensing)

 

 Thanks to a music grant from Recorded Music NZ, APRA AMCOS and a  grant from Creative Communities Queenstown Lake District and Invercargill City, entry is free but booking is essential.  RSVP to lorraine.owen@mmf.co.nz   to secure your seat.

 

 

 

 

NZ Music Managers Forum, Recorded Music NZ, APRA AMCOS,  Creative Communities Queenstown Lake District and Invercargill City present

 HOW TO MAKE MONEY FROM YOUR MUSIC

QUEENSTOWN

Date: Tuesday June 18th

Time: 6.00pm Doors.

Seminar 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Venue: Manata Room, Mercure Queenstown,

 Sainsbury Rd, Fernhill, Queenstown 

RSVP:             lorraine.owen@mmf.co.nz

 

INVERCARGILL

Date: Wednesday June 19th

Time: 5.30pm Doors.

Seminar 6pm – 8pm

Venue: Southland Musicians Club, 33 Preston St, Invercargill

RSVP:             lorraine.owen@mmf.co.nz

This seminar is being travelled to other towns and cities in NZ. Christchurch and Dunedin July dates and venues to be announced soon.

Steffany Beck and Eddie Simon 'Destined to You'

“Do you still believe in destiny, fate and above all else love? “singer/songwriter Steffany Beck says.

“Destined to You, is a heartfelt song encouraging to trust and take a leap of faith that love will always find a way.”

Destined to You was written and performed by two Christchurch musicians, Steffany Beck and Eddie Simon, and is now available for purchase and download online on iTunes Apple music and Spotify.

The dynamic duo collaborated on Destined to You in the early stages of working together to produce Steffany Beck’s 6-song EP.

The Canadian and American musicians met during one of Eddie’s Performances at a Brazilian restaurant in Christchurch.

“After serenading my partner to celebrate his birthday, I approached Eddie to thank him,” Steffany says.

“The conversation led to an invitation to visit his studio. Shortly after we decided to work together on a project to determine if we would be a compatible song writing duo. Then we had an opportunity to write an original song for a film placement- and Destined to You was the result of this project.”

This was the first song the duo wrote together, which ended up taking a life of its own and launching the platform for the creation of Steffany Beck’s debut EP which will be released this winter.

Eddie Simon is a dynamic singer songwriter, musician and producer originally from Canada and has resided in Christchurch, New Zealand for 14 years. He is an award-winning songwriter, musician, owner of Acoustic Wave Recording Studio and has a great deal of accolades to his credit. Destined to You is a song co written with Steffany Beck which was recorded at Acoustic Wave Recording Studio, Eddie’s own boutique record label.

Debut Artist Steffany Beck is a local Christchurch singer/songwriter. Steffany is a national songwriting competition winner, commercial jingles composer, original songwriter/performer for an independent film in the USA and has performed at various festivals and on a Carnival Cruise Ship. Steffany’s debut EP Blue Eyed Girl, will be launched this winter. Steffany wrote all of her own songs and co-produced her Ep alongside Eddie Simon at Acoustic Wave Recording Studio.

LOUIS BAKER ANNOUNCES LONG-AWAITED DEBUT ALBUM, OPEN AND NEW ZEALAND ALBUM RELEASE TOUR

“‘incredibly soulful.. stiflingly raw’ - Earmilk

’curiously soulful vocal style’ - Clash Magazine

’such power in Baker’s songwriting’ - Line Of Best Fit”

This June 21, much-loved kiwi singer-songwriter Louis Baker will release his debut album Open, featuring his powerful new single ‘The People’ along with fan favourites ‘Black Crow’ and ‘Addict’.

Fresh off supporting US R&B/Soul artist Allen Stone across New Zealand and Australia last month, Baker announces a long-awaited New Zealand album tour, alongside upcoming UK dates in June. Tickets on sale from Monday 13 May, 9.00am from louisbaker.co.nz

LOUIS BAKER, OPEN ALBUM RELEASE TOUR DATES:

Thursday 8 August - Blue Smoke, Christchurch

Friday 9 August - Tuning Fork, Auckland

Saturday 10 August - San Fran, Wellington

UK SHOWS:

Sunday 2 June - All My People Festival, Buckinghamshire (UK)

Monday 17 June - Servant Jazz Quarters, London (exclusive album preview show)

Ticketing and more details available at louisbaker.co.nz

“Each song on the album is a conversation. On this record, I try to put life into perspective, battle between the light and the dark, and seek to make sense of the world around me. The song ‘Open’ was inspired, ironically, from a strong disconnect between me and my creativity. I would often be over critical of my ideas, and would stop myself from creating something before I even started writing a song. Open is an album that says, 'take me as I am,” Baker reflects over his debut record. An album formulated around letting go of the past, accepting the present and feeling open to the future, this feeling threads itself around the project from beginning to end, hence the record’s suitable title, Open.

Coming to life in studios across London, Los Angeles, and Sydney, to his humble home studio setup in Pōneke/Wellington, New Zealand, Open has seen the world and taken it in. The record was created with the input of friends and familiar faces from around the world, including Grammy-nominated Engineer and Producer, Steve Rusch (Kendrick Lamar, Solange, Raphael Saadiq), Brad Ellis (Jorja Smith, James Arthur, Wilkinson), Jordan Rakei (Tom Misch, Disclosure) co-produced title track with Louis, multi-platinum selling songwriter Lindy Robbins (Andra Day, Chromeo), Josh Fountain (Bene, LEISURE, MAALA), and Laura Bettinson (FEMME).

Sitting at 9 tracks, Open begins with Baker’s hearty anthem ‘The People’, followed by the subtle neo-soul inflections and electronic pulses of ‘Heart on Fire’ featuring MC Melodownz. Around the silky piano strokes of ‘Just A Memory’, a song dedicated to fleeting moments with the past, the organic musical arrangements blend acoustic and electronic instrumentation in a striking representation of Baker’s modern take on soul. The record closes on the airy, soaring title-track, bringing the project to full circle.

Baker’s velveteen voice exerts emotion like no other, sending audiences from pin-drop silence to elation, as he rolls between falsetto and a low, earthy range. Like perfect synchronicity, the spirit of those who sang before him echo throughout the subtle depths of his voice; Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Marvin Gaye to the Precious Purple One. Carrying the torch of a younger generation of soul artistry in an aching world, Baker presents a debut that acknowledges the past, focuses on the issues of the present, and shares hope for the future.

Over the last 5 years, the world has watched in growing appreciation of the young singer-songwriter as he released a prolific volume of singles, which included ‘Rainbow’ (over 5 million streams on Spotify), ‘Fade’, ‘Gave It All Away’ (premiered on MTV), ‘Addict’, and APRA AMCOS Silver Scroll-nominated ‘Black Crow’.

Hear Maori Thrashers Alien Weaponry's Savage New Song 'Ahi Ka'

Kiwi Te Reo-metal band Alien Weaponry have dropped a grooving, hard hitting track "Ahi Kā," their first new material since the 2018 release of the trio's debut album, Tū. 

The cut, which premiered via Billboard, will also appear on Adult Swim's forthcoming compilation Metal Swim 2, which comes out tomorrow (May 3rd) and feature new tracks from Author & Punisher, Baroness, Botanist, Eyehategod, Nervosa, Oathbreaker, Sunn O))), the Body, Vile Creature, and more.

'Ahi Kā' was inspired by the Auckland city council's decision to burn down what they considered to be the unsightly indigenous Maori village at Okahu Bay in advance of Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 visit," Alien Weaponry's singer-guitarist Lewis de Jong says of the track, which, like many of the band's songs, is sung in New Zealand's indigenous language Te Reo. "The eviction sparked a 40-year battle for the local Ngāti Whātua Orākei to reclaim their land, including protests and clashes with the police." 

Amid worldwide criticism, a small portion of the original land was ultimately returned with an apology and some compensation.

"We decided to write about it because it's one of these untold stories in New Zealand history that really had a great impact on a lot of Maori." Check out "Ahi Kā" below.

The band have just this week arrived in the USA to play headline shows and festivals as part of a six month world tour that takes them to North America, Europe and the UK and with over three million YouTube views on their video "Kai Tangata" the group are gearing up for a massive year.

Listen to the new single Ahi Ka HERE

HOLLIE SMITH ANNOUNCES INTIMATE NEW SONG SHOWCASE

Songstress Hollie Smith is taking her talent across the North Island in a special new showcase, hosted at intimate venues with new material to share.

Hollie Smith will be performing solo, highlighting the power of one of New Zealand’s most loved voices. With years of experience and a tasteful discography under her belt, Hollie Smith is a New Zealand icon not to be missed live in her intimate new song showcase.

Saturday 8th June / Wellington Jazz Festival - Thistle Inn
Sunday 9th June / Kapiti Playhouse
Friday 14th June / Hastings - Common Room
Saturday 15th June / Hastings - Common Room
Saturday 22nd June / Auckland - Freida Margolis
Sunday 23rd June / Auckland - Freida Margolis

Hollie started the year with a moving performance at Splore festival before releasing ‘Whakaaria Mai’ with Teeks in March. The track is the first single from ‘Offering’, a twelve song album with all proceeds going towards the Salvation Army. 'Offering' includes twelve gospel hymns, and features an array of New Zealand's top artists including the likes of Dave Dobbyn and Kimbra. The track was performed to a moved crowd at the National Remembrance Service in light of the Christchurch Attacks. Most recently, Hollie opened for Irish singer Hozier at Auckland's Spark Arena.

Hollie Smith is a prolific hardworking singer, songwriter, and performer who has always maintained a highly respected reputation of creating music with the utmost integrity & passion. Her incredible live performances and powerhouse vocals have made her one of the most sought after acts in the New Zealand music industry.

This is an incredible opportunity to hear Hollie Smith's soulful voice live in unique venues. There are very limited tickets for each show, so grab yours before they sell out.

TICKET LINKS:
Saturday 8th June / Wellington Jaz Festival - Thistle Inn
Sunday 9th June / Kapiti Playhouse
Friday 14th June / Hastings - Common Room
Saturday 15th June / Hastings - Common Room
Saturday 22nd June / Auckland - Freida Margolis
Sunday 23rd June / Auckland - Freida Margolis