MĀORI COUNTRY MUSICIAN AINSLIE ALLEN RELEASES TE REO SINGLE FOR MĀORI LANGUAGE WEEK 2020

Award-winning NZ Māori Country Music Artist, Ainslie Allen (Rongowhakaata) is pursuing her journey of connecting with her heritage, and is releasing a single entirely in te reo Māori in honour of Māori Language Week.

'Taku Māmā' is the Māori version of her single "My Mum" released in January 2019. Ainslie says "I am grateful and honoured to be working with Leon Blake with this te reo translation." 'Taku Māmā' is a touching tribute to Ainslie's Mum and tells the story of her mother raising four children alone.

"I recently had a hui with my iwi, Rongowhakaata," said Ainslie. "It was a positive, fulfilling, yet, emotional experience for me, and I'm continuing my journey and gaining knowledge of my whakapapa from my father's side. I've always been proud to say that I am tangata whenua of Aotearoa and I have studied, sung and written te reo Māori songs before, but this one is really special to me. My Mum is a Kiwi, of Irish, Liverpool, Scots, and Welsh descent, but I wanted to release this tribute for her in the language of my heart."

Ainslie continues, "Mum did everything she could for us and I want her to always know that she is appreciated. She is the heart and soul of our whānau. I think a lot of us can relate to being raised by a strong wāhine who had obstacles to overcome and only now that I'm a Mum, I realise how hard it must have been for her."

Ainslie uncovered her passion for country music at a young age and always knew she wanted to be a singer. She wrote her first song at age 8 and at 12 she entered the Country Music Awards, winning her first guitar. By 15 she was a regular on TV2's hit series, McDonald's Young Entertainers. Her first paid singing engagement was for Sir Edmond Hillary when she was 16. She sang her first National Anthems for the All Blacks and Springboks at 17. She is a graduate of Whitireia Performing Arts, WPAC Screen Acting, and the CMAA Academy of Country Music. She has performed gigs from weddings to war zones. She writes her own music and lyrics and is currently mixing her upcoming album 'Betty' with Ben Edwards at the Sitting Room.

She was raised in Titahi Bay, but currently lives in rural Pauatahanui (Parirua/Porirua) with her son Emerson-Ngariki, and chose this special place for the video of her new single 'Taku Māmā' - as an acknowledgement to the mana whenua of the region.

Ainslie shared, "this area is sacred and rich in Ngāti Toa history, I feel a strong connection to the whenua and have Ngāti Toa whānau. This land is home."

Ainslie's new single Taku Māma was made possible with funding from Te Māngai Pāho. The single was produced by Ben Edwards at the Sitting Room and the video was made with Phantomstar Pictures & Maelstrom Pictures, and will be distributed through DRM, available on all good streaming platforms on Friday, 18th of September 2020.

FOLK BREWERS: OFF THE RECORD

This year has been surreal for almost everyone. Worldwide. That in itself is surreal. To have the world linked together, united by one thing.

This has obviously had a massive impact on music. A year of cancelled and postponed gigs, shuffled events and dashed dreams (hopefully only temporarily).
 
We’ve been patiently waiting to announce this show featuring eight acts, all who have been affected by the pandemic. Some have had release plans altered, with music not released or released to smaller rooms in people’s homes. Others, like us, have had multiple other gigs and events cancelled (we chose this year, of all years, to book a lot of stuff over winter). Some have had overseas travel cancelled with no plans to rebook. It has been devastating for some artists and musicians, whose lifeblood is playing live (and who rely on the promotion it gives them).

So here is a celebration of a calm moment in this crisis. We’re hoping it’s after the crisis (but we never will know, right?)! An event with eight acts. A blessing from the multitudes to you, the audience. Another multitude.  

Tickets in this event link – just click here:   
Folk Sessions off the record
Featuring
Paper Cranes
Luke Thompson
Joseph & Maia
Jeremy Redmore
Antony Jeffares
Georgia Lines
Hans Kraenzlin
Eli Banks

 
And, our postponed show with Albi and the Wolves can be found by clicking here

LYTTELTON’S KATE OWEN LAUNCHES NOT A PROPER GIRL VISUAL PROJECT AND ANNOUNCES TOUR

Lyttelton musician Kate Owen launches a story-driven accompaniment to her debut album, Not A Proper Girl, with the Behind The Songs series. This personally crafted layer of candid storytelling is set to premiere through her new website www.kateowen.co.nz from the 14th of September.  

Initially created to fill the void of a planned live tour, which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the new project visually elaborates on the themes of Kate’s long-playing debut, through the exploration of the personal topics that underpin her March release. This series of short films, conceptualised, directed and edited by Kate herself, is on one hand an expansion of her musical work, and on the other, an intimate discussion with Kate as she shares her observations and anecdotes distilled from her life’s journey. Kate has collaborated with NZ musicians Emma Cameron (Emma Dilemma/Decades) and solo artist Katie Thompson on the digital realisation of the project, which was made possible by the Creative New Zealand Arts Continuity grant.

The Not A Proper Girl project is a conceptual study of isolation, but also connection and analysis of modern expectations - built by the experiences of a woman in a modern world where life has not become a fairytale. Mental health, suicide, femininity, addiction and the commercial modelling of romantic love are all addressed. Collectively, the candid pieces to camera that accompany each track offers power to the female experience and allows us to question through our own lens, ‘what IS a proper girl’?

Thought provoking, comforting and bold, Not A Proper Girl removes the rose-tinted glasses on womanhood in the modern age. The content journey entices us to be a little louder and to not diminish our experiences, whether they be good or bad. It invites us all to be proud to tell our stories.

Kate Owen will bring her nous for story-telling and material from her critically-acclaimed debut back to the stage with a series of intimate live dates, resuming her Covid-cancelled album tour in celebration of the Behind The Songs project release. She will be joined by Christchurch musicians Moses Robbins (guitar), Thomas Isbister (drums) and Kurt Preston (bass). Kate will also record a live set on the 26th of September as part of Alex Harmer’s Ōtautahi Live sessions. This live version of the album will be released in November via www.kateowen.co.nz.  

Not A Proper Girl - Album Release Tour

3 October                   Grater Goods, Christchurch

24 October                 Third Eye, Wellington

31 October                 Freida Margolis, Auckland

Tickets available now through undertheradar.co.nz.

Kate’s debut album, Not A Proper Girl was released 13 March, 2020. Recorded with Ben Edwards (The Sitting Room, Lyttelton), the album showcases Owen’s songs with rich textures including synth and strings, and strong rhythmic pulses from live kits and drums machines.  The result is an album with a sound that has been likened to PJ Harvey, Anna Calvi and Sharon Van Etten.

Reviews for Not A Proper Girl

“Not a Proper Girl feels cohesive and coherent… She deserves to be heard and seen.” – Graham Reid, Elsewhere

“Not a Proper Girl’ is a sophisticated, introspective and beautifully put together, and places Kate Owen on the map as an artist to watch.” – NZ Musician

“Great production. Great band. I highly recommend the record.” – Grant Smithies

ABOUT KATE OWEN

A singer with a poetic, restrained intensity, Kate Owen has been song-writing for twenty years and performing live for a decade, but until now has never recorded an album. Her sound ranges from stripped-back laments to 90’s pop anthems. Her debut album Not A Proper Girl showcases Owen’s songs with rich textures including synth and strings, and strong rhythmic pulses from live kits and drums machines. Owen lives in Lyttelton.

Kate Owen’s debut album Not A Proper Girl is available now through Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, with physical copies available through select retail outlets. The Behind The Songs visual project is available to view through a subscription process at www.kateowen.co.nz. Sign up here to gain access to the full suite of exclusive content.

GARY MICTIAN 'ALL THE TIME'

"All The Time" is the upcoming single by London based Electro Pop artist Gary Mictian. The NZ native producer/songwriter captures a dark and quietly melancholic world in this song, which tells the story of personal weakness and the dependance on a love that stops you from healing.

"The song comes from being with a person you know you shouldn't be with, but you're too weak not to. So you just keep going back and are perfectly comfortable spinning in a toxic cycle." - Gary Mictian.

Gary Mictian is an upcoming London based artist with plenty of talent to spare. Reigning from Auckland NZ, Mictian brings an exciting new sound that you can’t help but become immersed in. Embodying and inspired by seventies and eighties vintage pop, Mictian fuses together both old and new to create something fresh and uniquely his own. In his latest EP release, The Dream State, the singer-songwriter explores the depths of intense love and heartbreak with an amalgam of nostalgic and soul-laden pop sounds. The Dream State is now available via Spotify. To keep up to date follow Gary Mictian on Instagram or Facebook. Stay tuned for the release of his new single ‘All The Time’ dropping on September 4th.

STAN WALKER ANNOUNCES BOOK TOUR

An Intimate Evening. The Man, The Book, The Music hosted by Mike King

Part conversation and part music, An Intimate Evening is an up close and personal night with Stan, like you've never seen him before. Stan will discuss his memoir, Impossible with Mike King and perform acoustic renditions of some of his greatest hits, including Bigger, Give and Choose.

Publishing 7th October, Impossible: My Story (HarperCollins NZ) is a personal reflection on life growing up in a family where love and violence were horribly entwined. It’s a story about forgiveness and a journey to redemption. It’s a tale of a young Māori boy from Tauranga finding his place and purpose in the world, while never forgetting who he is, where he came from and who he came from.

This is your chance to meet the man behind the music and hear what really went down on the way to the top. He has always lived his life with authenticity - what you see is what you get, doing life only as he can do. This is your chance to bring your questions for Stan in this very unique setting.

Tickets will be available from Ticketspace  9 September.

Join us for this special once in a lifetime tour.

 Tour Dates 2020

South Island

16 Nov   Invercargill

17 Nov   Dunedin

19 Nov   Christchurch

20 Nov   Greymouth

22 Nov   Blenheim

North Island

24 Nov   Lower Hutt

25 Nov   Napier

26 Nov   Whanganui

28 Nov   New Plymouth

29 Nov   Tauranga

MENTAL HEALTH BATTLE INSPIRES 19 YEAR OLD SINGER TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

Following personal struggles with mental health, 19-year-old Rory McDonald of alternative rock band Voodoo Bloo, has created a series of concerts to promote suicide awareness and prevention with Lifeline Aotearoa. In addition, Rory intends to interview singers from other bands about their experiences with mental health.

“Love is for the Beautiful – a Charity Gig” kicks off in Auckland at Neck of the Woods on October 17, featuring Skinny Hobos, Voodoo Bloo and Animalhead. And in Wellington at MEOW on November 28th , featuring Miss June, Voodoo Bloo and Curlys Jewels. Tickets are available through Facebook Events , priced at $20 with all sales going to Lifeline.

In conversation with Lifeline’s Clinical Manager, Renee Mathews, Rory commented: “New Zealand currently has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the world. So no matter where our music ends up, I think this could be a very relatable event for anyone going through things like depression or anxiety. My hope is that in that relatability they can use this as their own cathartic tool too.”

In conversation with Lifeline’s Clinical Manager, Renee Mathews, Rory commented: “New Zealand currently has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the world. So no matter where our music ends up, I think this could be a very relatable event for anyone going through things like depression or anxiety. My hope is that in that relatability they can use this as their own cathartic tool too.”

Clinical Manager, Renee Mathews added “I think it’s really important what Rory’s doing, especially for other young men out there, seeing the sort of positive choices they can make to stay well and get through experiences like this.”

Renee continued “Music can really pull you out of the depths. And it’s OK to ask for help. There’s no shame in it. All of us have times when it’s hard and we’re lonely and we feel sad and desperate. It’s courageous to express yourself creatively and if it’s getting too much you can always reach out by talking or texting.”

SOLA ROSA TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH SOMETHING GOOD, FEATURING THANDI PHOENIX

Just in time to herald the official start of Spring, Andrew Spraggon aka Sola Rosa returns with the party-starting new single, Something Good. This is the fourth single from the impending long player, Chasing The Sun – Sola Rosa’s seventh album release which is due for release on 25th September.
 
Featuring the vocal stylings of Sydney singer-songwriter Thandi Phoenix, who has been touted as “one of Australia’s most promising up and comers” (The AU Review), Something Good delivers a disco influenced groove and lyrically celebrates that intuitive feeling when everything just falls into place.
 
Says Andrew on the fundamentals of the track; “This track was a real last minute wild card. I had a bunch of tunes that I was planning to send to Thandi and I wasn’t intending on adding the Something Good beat. I’d never really written a ‘four to the floor’ disco-type beat before and I was second guessing myself. Eventually I decided to just get the demo as presentable as possible and add it to the playlist of tunes for Thandi to consider… and that’s the one she ended up picking to work on.”
 
Thandi explains how the melody and lyrics came together; “Before we first met at the studio in Sydney, Andrew had sent me a bunch of instrumentals he was working on. I remember it vividly. I was heading out, the sun was beaming and I was listening through the demos as I was walking along. As soon as I heard this song it was an instant favourite, it has such a great groove to it. I got all excited and started hearing all these melodies, so I quickly put down a vocal idea on my phone, which became the springboard to the rest of the melodies.”
 
The majority of the music and composition was worked on with the Sola Rosa band back in Auckland after the vocals were tracked, with session musicians Jeremy Toy, Julien Dyne, Lewis McCallum and Jonathan Crayford adding their own touch of magic to the single. 
 
Thandi sums it up; “I had a great time in the studio writing this one with Andrew, it just flowed so easily. It’s funny, the sentiment of this song almost echoes the response I had to hearing it for the first time. Something Good is about embracing that magical connection, that instant attraction that’s all consuming and you can’t get enough of. When somethings good you can’t deny it!”
 
Something Good follows the recent release of the album’s collaborative singles, including the BBC 6 Music-supported Shine On feat. Thandi Phoenix and For The Mighty Dollar featuring The Streets vocalist Kevin Mark Trail and long term Basement Jaxx collaborator soul singer Sharlene Hector. Searching For Love feat. Kiko Bun, saw support at UK radio from the home of soulful music Mi Soul, with Indie London featuring the singles in their ‘Singles of The Week’. Closer to home, Searching For Love has carved out a spot on the NZ top 40 singles charts, spending quality time in the Hot 20 NZ Singles, Most Added and Top 20 Dance charts.  

Something Good feat. Thandi Phoenix is out now through all digital outlets. Chasing The Sun, the full length album from Sola Rosa releases 25 September. Thanks to NZ On Air.

Pre order Chasing The Sun now.
Physical distribution is courtesy of Border Music.

ANNOUNCING THE MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE 2020 SILVER SCROLL AWARDS

APRA AMCOS NZ are honoured to announce that Julia Deans is taking the helm as Music Director for the 2020 APRA Silver Scroll Awards. The Music Director is responsible for all the performances throughout the ceremony (unexpected performances have become a much-loved part of the show) and we’re excited to see what Julia will dream up. 

As well as being an icon of NZ music as both the front woman for Fur Patrol (PS. Some exciting news coming from them very soon) and a solo singer songwriter, Julia’s work reinterpreting the work of others across stage and opera productions like Brel, Both Sides Now, and Cav + Pag - Two Tales, as well as collaborations with artists from across the genre spectrum, give her a unique perspective for the role. She’s been involved in the Silver Scroll Awards multiple times in the past both as a finalist and performer, and has some brilliant ideas to celebrate the work of our music whanau over the past year.

On the night the five Silver Scroll finalists’ songs, as well as the winners of the Maioha and SOUNZ Contemporary awards, are reinterpreted by different artists, bands, and once-in-a-lifetime, one-off collaborations. 

“The Scrolls MD job is one I've always thought I'd like to do when I grow up. Does this mean I'm a grown up now? So excited!”

The finalists for the APRA Silver Scroll Award were recently announced, while the finalists for the SOUNZ Contemporary Award and  APRA Screen Awards will be announced this Saturday 5 September , and the finalists for the APRA Maioha Award will be announced ahead of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori on Saturday 12 September.

All awards will be presented at the Auckland Town Hall on Wednesday 14 October.