Calling all independent musicians: ‘Music Career : Masterclass’ is here to help
Wellington-based artists looking to take a step up in the music industry will get a chance to learn from some of the best in the business in a new masterclass series launching this month.
Wellington-based artists looking to take a step up in the music industry will get a chance to learn from some of the best in the business in a new masterclass series launching this month.
Aston Rd, a Wellington-based boutique music business, is proud to present Music Career : Masterclass, a six-week series designed to help ten Wellington musicians take their careers to the next level.
Delivered by Aston Rd founder Cushla Aston and music industry professionals from across Aotearoa, each module offers practical advice and hands-on training to help artists up-skill and fast track their career development.
Cushla Aston says: “I’ve been managing and mentoring artists for the past decade and there’s a gap in the teaching of the business of music. And, if you’re a self-managing artist then the struggle is real.
“We want our participants to find the sweet spot between creative and career and to walk away with business knowledge, tools, networks, and a community of people they can call on.”
Topics covered in Masterclass: Music Career modules include mindset and music, how to make money and run your business, goal setting, digital marketing, media training and more.
Cushla Aston says: “Getting access to people who can help you learn how to build a career in music can be hard for many independent artists.
“Thanks to capability funding from the NZ Music Commission though, we’re able to offer this course to successful applicants for only $100, which will hopefully give the applicants a chance to up-skill themselves and take their career to a new level.”
Applications for Music Career : Masterclass open on 29 April and close on 6 May. Modules will be held in central Wellington every Saturday from 21 May - 25 June from 10am – 2pm.
For more information, including application criteria and to apply, visit www.astonroad.com
The six Masterclass: Music Career modules cover:
o Mindset & Music
o The Business of Music & Goal Setting
o The Authentic Artist - Press Release & Bios
o The Authentic Artist 2 - The Image
o Digital Marketing - The Fundamentals
o Media Ready
Masterclass: Music Career mentors are:
o Luke Rowe – Mindset Coach, Clinical Psychologist
o Nicole Thomas – Nik Nak Media
o Yadana Saw – Broadcaster, Producer
o Leanda Borrett – Publicist, Music Marketing
o Martyn Pepperell – Journalist, Broadcaster, DJ
o Molly Littlejohn – Talent Manager, Social Media Marketer
o Kate Stacy – Stylist
o Nina Da Costa – Entertainment Accountant
o Cushla Aston – Artist Manager, Mentor, Producer.
Masterclass: Music Career applicants need to:
o be a Wellington-based artist/act
o write and perform original music
o have at least two original music recordings (released or demos)
o have existing Social Media platforms
o be releasing new music within the next 8 months
o have access to the internet and a laptop
o be available to attend each class in person
o be able to attend all modules, and commit to 3-4 hours homework each week
o not be signed to a major label or management.
Successful applicants will be notified on 10 May.
Aston Rd is a Wellington-based boutique music business specialising in artist management, music industry education, mentoring, and special projects.
Ha the Unclear return from the void with Mannequins re-release
In 2019, Ha the Unclear’s two original albums mysteriously disappeared from the interwebs, around the time that they signed to French label Think Zik!. Now, two years on, with the borders open and their schedule rejigged, ‘Mannequins’, the first single off their upcoming EP, has finally arrived.
In 2019, Ha the Unclear’s two original albums mysteriously disappeared from the interwebs, around the time that they signed to French label Think Zik!. These early releases were then replaced by the brand new 2020 EP ‘Threads’, produced by Sylvia Massy (Tool, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Tom Healy (Die!Die!Die!, Tiny Ruins, Marlon Williams).
The band furthered their growing French connection by performing in Paris at the MaMA Festival in 2019 before their continental dreams were then put on hold as the pandemic arrived just a few months later.
Now, two years on, with the borders open and their schedule rejigged, ‘Mannequins’, the first single off their upcoming EP, has finally arrived.
‘Mannequins’ is a surreal, psychedelic and captivating pop tune that could only come from the acclaimed Antipodean alt pop act that is Ha the Unclear. Lead songwriter and singer Michael Cathro takes us on a story of his complicated relationship with the mannequins that he used to pass in the storefronts on his walk home from work. "I was working nights at a bar in Ireland and had to walk home alone first thing through an empty shopping mall. I was in such a delirious haze from staying up all night working, that the mannequins in the windows were yelling their backstories at me"
To celebrate the release of the song, Ha the Unclear have unveiled a brand new live video for the track, performed in Paris, which can be viewed here
Originating in the gothic harbour town of Ōtepoti Dunedin, Ha the Unclear then all moved to Auckland where they went from being a bedroom based routine into the highly popular real life four-piece ensemble that they are today. Ha the Unclear’s knack for creating thoughtful, mind-bending stories have seen them gather acclaim from everyone from the BBC to Entertainment Weekly. Their lyrical stories include a love story from the perspective of a coffee table, astronauts trapped in orbit, and a break-up via an intercom. The band has compacted these wonderful thought nuggets into energetic, quirky pop songs and a spirited live show which has seen them tour with Courtney Barnett, support The Shins, Dandy Warhols, and others, and perform at all number of festivals; Rhythm & Vines, CubaDupa, Nostalgia Festival, Cross St Festival, Newton Festival and more.
You can find Ha the Unclear online
www.instagram.com/hatheunclear/
Georgia Lines announces five-date Aotearoa tour, ahead of gorgeous new single ‘Leave Behind’
Aotearoa songstress Georgia Lines has announced a five-date national tour, as well as the release of her stunning upcoming single ‘Leave Behind’ (coming May 6).
Aotearoa songstress Georgia Lines has announced a five-date national tour, as well as the release of her stunning upcoming single ‘Leave Behind’ (coming May 6).
With effortlessly powerful vocals and captivating live performances, Georgia Lines is rapidly becoming one of Aotearoa’s wahine to watch. Join her on tour and be a part of an intimate night of brilliantly-crafted songs, stories and emotive songwriting; witness her ability to transport the audience through her authentic lyrics, catchy melodies and relatable stories.
Kicking off in Hamilton at the Nirvana Lounge on May 11, the Georgia Lines’ ‘Leave Behind’ Tour will then move to Auckland for a LIVE at the Museum – May Music Month performance at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on May 16. The tour then moves to Dunedin at Bark! on May 30; then to Christchurch at the Dark Room on June 1.
The tour will finish up in Georgia’s hometown, Tauranga, on June 3 at a secret location. Her home town guests will find out on the day of the show where they will be heading to, for an extra special performance.
Hamilton, Dunedin, Christchurch and Tauranga will experience Georgia’s performance in its most intimate form; with her stunningly powerful voice matched purely with her on keys. It’s an opportunity to connect with Georgia solo, and hear the engaging stories about the creation of her music.
Tickets available for Hamilton, Dunedin, Christchurch and Tauranga HERE
Tāmaki Makaurau is in for a night of elevated wonder, as for this show, Georgia Lines will be supported by musicians from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra to debut new arrangements of her 80s and 90s-inspired-R&B-sprinkled-pop hits to delight the audience. Also joining Georgia for the night is Cassie Henderson, another singer-songwriter whose distinctive lyrical vulnerability and bright vocals resonate with audiences around the globe.
Tickets available for Auckland’s show HERE
Experience this captivating songwriter and performer and celebrate the release of her new single ‘Leave Behind’. These will be beautifully intimate shows, so don’t miss out!
‘Leave Behind’ is available on all DSPs from Friday May 6. Pre-save / pre-order HERE
Under The Radar Presents
Georgia Lines ‘Leave Behind’ Tour
Wednesday May 11
Hamilton - Nirvana Lounge
Monday May 16
Auckland - LIVE at the Museum – May Music Month performance at the Auckland War Memorial Museum w/ Cassie Henderson and the APO
Monday May 30
Dunedin - Bark!
Wednesday June 1
Christchurch - Dark Room
Friday June 3
Tauranga - Secret Location
Tickets available from Under The Radar HERE
Tickets for Auckland show available HERE
MISSY releases 'How it feels to be loved despite your flaws on your worst day'.
MISSY recounts the creation of Part IV of the Ekpyrosis suite of songs.
MISSY recounts the creation of Part IV of the Ekpyrosis suite of songs.
“The song was written when I started to experience sudden major hearing loss. I had booked in a consultation with a specialist, and an MRI scan. I was about to spend most of my savings, and had no idea what was going on. It sounded as if I was wearing earplugs, so I could hear my own voice internally, but everything out in the world was totally muffled. With everyone wearing masks while talking out in public, there was no hope for lip reading either.
My hearing is a huge part of my identity because it lets me create music, so I was struggling with the potential loss of identity, and having been sick for months, I was feeling completely lost.
The day I woke up and couldn't hear the sounds of the room around me was the day I wrote this song - a panicked churning out of music just in case things progressively got worse.
I honestly just felt like a sack of shit. I felt completely undeserving of the love that I've been given by the people in my life so I wrote this song. It started out languishing in self-pity, but eventually progressed into a total outburst of gratitude. The kind that makes you feel so tiny in comparison to how huge the emotions feel.
The idea that “Something must be right in the world because you are happy and healthy and that's all I could really wish for. I might be falling apart at the seams, but you are fine. I'll strive to be fine too.” It might seem silly but I literally can't even write this paragraph without tearing up, it's a feeling that deeply overwhelms me and is hard to describe. Hence why the title is so unbelievably long!
Spoiler alert: my hearing was fixed up, I kept some of the original vocals despite how sick I sound (my voice is damaged now and I sort of permanently sound sick anyway). I was able to finish up the production for this track once I could hear high frequencies again.
My mother graced this track with her skills and played the piano for me which was recorded (since we live in different cities) by my lovely sister Calla.
‘Rockstar Mum’ is anthem song for Mother’s Day
Singer/Songwriter Moone (Marama Rice) is releasing a single on Friday 29 April dedicated to all mum’s leading up to Mother’s Day. The song ‘Rockstar Mum’ is all about empowering women to look after themselves for a change, so they can then look after others.
Singer/Songwriter Moone (Marama Rice) is releasing a single on Friday 29 April dedicated to all mum’s leading up to Mother’s Day. The song ‘Rockstar Mum’ is all about empowering women to look after themselves for a change, so they can then look after others.
Rockstar Mum is about celebrating women, enjoying your sisterhood of friends, going to the spa and treating yourself occasionally and creating the life you want.
Moone says “This is an anthem for mum’s. If just one person feels better after hearing the song, then I’ve done my job.”
This is the 50 year old’s second single and she hopes the track inspires older women to give new things a try.
Her first TikTok video featuring and created by women over 30, is part of her “Official Moone Launch” on Friday.
“Giving women an opportunity to believe in themselves and their abilities, drives me every day. So many women I know feel invisible and insignificant as they get older and go through menopause. You can still achieve your dreams if we support each other,” says Moone.
The single is also co-produced by Moone alongside Scott Seabright, who has worked with Six60, Mumford and Sons, Neil and Tim Finn and Fat Freddy’s Drop. Moone has just signed with DRM who will distribute the song internationally.
After previously producing other people’s music at her Sydney Music Studio for eight years, Moone decided to focus on her own music.
“Both of my children have recently moved out, so I’ve had the time to concentrate on myself and my unique sound. Rather than worrying about them flying the nest, I’ve taken it as an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone.”
Moone’s music channels her 21 generations of whakapapa that have lived on her ancestral land in the Bay of Plenty, Aotearoa / New Zealand. In particular, the strong women she descends from.
She says “Living on this land, means I feel the 850 years of wāhine toa (strong women) before me and I try to honour their legacies. I hope my music shows other Māori women, that if I can do it...they can too.“
She plans to release two more singles this year and then an album in early 2023. A national tour will then follow.
To pre-add the single to your Spotify or Apple library, go to her brand new website www.moonemusic.com or her Facebook page @moonemusic for details. It will automatically add to your account on Friday.
The release of ‘Rockstar Mum’ is also timed to fit in with New Zealand Music Month that kicks off in May.
AMS Nightlife Partnered with Kiwi Artists to Get Kiwis Playing More Kiwi Music During NZ Music Month
AMS Nightlife is thrilled to partner with some of New Zealand’s finest artists this May to promote New Zealand Played in a bid to get more Kiwis playing New Zealand music in more than 1,200 venues across the country during NZ Music Month.
AMS Nightlife is thrilled to partner with some of New Zealand’s finest artists this May to promote New Zealand Played in a bid to get more Kiwis playing New Zealand music in more than 1,200 venues across the country during NZ Music Month.
Kiwi artists such as The Black Seeds, The Phoenix Foundation, Theia, Muroki and Tom Larkin from Shihad have created short videos in support of New Zealand Played and NZ Music Month. Their message was clear and Daniel from The Black Seeds said it clearly, "Support NZ Music Month by selecting your favourite Kiwi artists on crowdDJ®. It is as simple as that!"
The New Zealand Played campaign is simple in its execution but ambitious in its aspirations. The goal is clear – to shine the spotlight on local musicians in the New Zealand music industry. This May AMS Nightlife will roll out an even stronger focus on Kiwi artists across their curated music lists, making homegrown talents more visible and accessible. In addition Kiwi artists and their music on crowdDJ® are tagged with the New Zealand Played logo so that anyone can easily pick their favourite Kiwi music via the free crowdDJ® mobile app or interactive in-venue kiosk at a crowdDJ®-supported location.
In May 2021 AMS Nightlife saw success with their first New Zealand Played campaign. 1,085,329 Kiwi songs were played around the country through its network of clients - a 5.4% increase from April 2021. Out of which, 10,514 New Zealand songs were picked by Kiwis on crowdDJ®, resulting in a 7.64% increase from April 2021.
"This year we are aiming to double it. We have released three promotional kits on the New Zealand Played website to help businesses, music lovers and artists play more New Zealand music," explained Karen de Bres, co-founder of AMS Nightlife. "These kits are designed to make supporting New Zealand Played and NZ Music Month as simple as possible."
New Zealand Played 2022 launches today and videos from the supporting Kiwi artists will be shared on www.nzplayed.co.nz and across social media throughout the month of May.
About The New Zealand Played Campaign The New Zealand Played campaign is an initiative by AMS Nightlife to support NZ Music Month. The campaign uses the commercial reach of AMS Nightlife – New Zealand's largest music subscription service for businesses – as well as the technology of Nightlife music system and crowdDJ® to encourage Kiwis to select Kiwi music. Every time a New Zealand song is played through our network of clients, a New Zealand artist gets paid.
To find out more about New Zealand Played, visit www.nzplayed.co.nz
To find out more about AMS Nightlife, visit www.amsnightlife.co.nz
To watch one of the videos, please watch here.
To use the New Zealand Played social assets, please download here.
The Renderers return to Aotearoa for five-date tour in May
In a rare New Zealand visit, Joshua Tree-based band The Renderers bring their brooding country-influenced distortion-tinged psychedelic space rock to five select venues in May.
The Renderers Aotearoa Tour
Thursday 20 May - Lyttelton, The Loons
Thursday 26 May - Wellington, Meow
Friday 27 May - Leigh, Leigh Sawmill
Saturday 28 May - Auckland, Wine Cellar
Sunday 29 May - Waiheke, Omiha Hall
In a rare New Zealand visit, Joshua Tree-based band The Renderers bring their brooding country-influenced distortion-tinged psychedelic space rock to five select venues in May.
Hailed in the United States and Aotearoa alike, The Renderers inhabit the dark side of the New Zealand indie scene. Their songs range from sparse and shadowy laments to more upbeat (yet still tense and menacing) pop songs. Husband-and-wife duo Maryrose and Brian Crook (of many NZ bands including Flies Inside the Sun, The Terminals and Scorched Earth Policy) have been the core of The Renderers since their inception, in 1989.
Last here for a string of sold out shows in 2011, for this tour the Renderers will be joined by Lyttelton-based musicians Joe McCallum on drums (Nadia Reid, Delaney Davidson) and Anita Clark on violin and vocals (Motte, Devilish Holy Rollers). Their two-set show will consist of tunes from their back catalogue, followed by songs from Rocket Into Nothing, In the Sodium Light and This World Just Eats Me Alive.
Tickets for all shows available from Undertheradar.co.nz, except for Meow, available through Moshtix.co.nz.
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2022 NZ CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARDS
Dreamy Good Night melodies, an imaginary backwards world, Itty Bitty Bubbles, standing together against bullying, the importance of caring for Papatūānuku and ‘nothing’ are all subjects that have burst into the taringa of tamariki this past year. The 2022 NZ Children’s Music Awards are an annual presentation, celebrating music written for kiwi kids.
Dreamy Good Night melodies, an imaginary backwards world, Itty Bitty Bubbles, standing together against bullying, the importance of caring for Papatūānuku and ‘nothing’ are all subjects that have burst into the taringa of tamariki this past year. The 2022 NZ Children’s Music Awards are an annual presentation, celebrating music written for kiwi kids.
These lyricists, musical architects, and wildly varied assortment of creators, encourage kiwi kids to kick up their heals and inflame a love of music for the tamariki of Aotearoa. Music universally conjures a magical joy to the soul and plays a central role in our children’s lives, conducting their stories and stirring their senses.
Drum roll please….
APRA Best Children's Song finalists:
- Kath Bee, Ryan Beehre, Luke Epapara for E Tū Tāngata – Stand Together performed by Mika Elley ft. Kurnel MC
- Michal Amy Bush, Andrew Knopp, Victoria Knopp for Family performed by Music with Michal
- Michal Amy Bush, Andrew Knopp, Victoria Knopp for Good Night performed by Music with Michal
Recorded Music NZ Te Kaipuoro Waiata Tamariki Toa / Best Children’s Music Artist finalists:
- Itty Bitty Beats for Itty Bitty Bubbles
- Levity Beet for Levity Beet’s Bamboo Banger Collection
- Music with Michal for Summer Days
NZ On Air Best Children's Music Video finalists:
- Chris Lam Sam for Song About Nothing video produced by Mukpuddy Animation
- Music with Michal for Goodnight video produced by Dylan Jones at For Good Media
- Loopy Tunes Music for Guardians of Papatūānuku video produced by Luke Siaki, Siu Williams-Lemi and Leah Williams-Partington
As five-time curator of the NZ Children’s Music Awards and a NZ children’s music writer, author and broadcaster herself, Suzy Cato is very proud of the children’s music community of Aotearoa.
“We are blessed with a wealth of artists from across the country, covering a variety of genres; all with tamariki in their hearts as they create. As the kiwi kids music community continues to grow, so does the quality of the content produced. These songs are a snapshot of our tamariki’s lives and are guaranteed to get them up dancing and singing along.”
Presented by Recorded Music NZ, APRA AMCOS NZ, and NZ On Air, the awards have the support of Kiwi Kids Music, the national association of children’s songwriters, creators and producers. Formed by some of the most passionate creators of music for kiwi kids, the association supports NZ children’s music creators and seeks to advance the potential of all our children to live healthy fulfilling lives.
Winners will be announced at an invite only ceremony on Sunday 15 May at Tuning Fork, Spark Arena. The show will be hosted by tamariki from across Aotearoa. There will be live performances, video screenings, and to follow the awards, interactive music-making workshops, afternoon tea, and plenty of fun and games.
Thanks to APRA AMCOS NZ, Recorded Music NZ, Spark Arena and NZ On Air who have created a special spotifty playlist celebrating this years finalists, available here