Te Karanga Trust Welcomes Rising Artist Makayla for Sony Music Group’s “Season of Giving” Community Event

Te Karanga Trust is proud to announce a special one-night event with Sony Music Group’s annual Season of Giving initiative, celebrating youth, creativity, and community connection. The event will take place at The Button Factory in Auckland, home to Te Karanga’s fortnightly youth programme DOJO, a creative safe space for emerging young artists to learn, grow, and perform.

Since 2004, Te Karanga has been a safe home for young people from all walks of life, with a strong foundation in supporting Māori and Pacific rangatahi. We create space for identity, healing, creativity, and leadership — uplifting every young person who comes through our doors, while honouring the cultures at the heart of our community.

Season of Giving is Sony Music Group’s global charity initiative, supporting organisations focused on community wellbeing and music education. This year, Sony has chosen Te Karanga Trust as a recipient, acknowledging the Trust’s 20+ year commitment of uplifting rangatahi through mentoring, leadership, wellbeing support, and creative pathways.

As part of this initiative, Sony is sending rising Aotearoa singer-songwriter Makayla —recent winner of the 2025 Waiata Māori Music Award for Best Māori Female Solo Artist—to share live music and kōrero with Te Karanga youth and whānau. Makayla will engage directly with young people involved in Te Karanga’s creative development and Navigators programmes, offering inspiration, visibility, and encouragement.

The event also highlights the incredible talent emerging from Te Karanga’s Wāhine Navigators Programme, with supporting performances by SIRCÉ, SANCY, and Red Creek — three young wāhine who represent the strength, resilience, and creativity of the next generation.

ARTIST PROFILES — WĀHINE NAVIGATORS

SANCY A member of the Te Karanga Wāhine Navigators Programme for the past two years, 18-year-old Indian-born singer-songwriter SANCY brings heartfelt vocals and honest, emotional storytelling to her music. Raised in Māngere and a Play It Strange finalist, she writes about love, relationships, and the journey of breaking free from toxic cycles. Her sound is raw, expressive, and deeply personal — the voice of a young woman discovering her power and identity through music.

Red Creek is a 25-year-old Peruvian-born Latina artist who arrived in Aotearoa in 2017. Blending Hip Hop and R&B with a powerful emotional delivery, she creates music shaped by healing, survival, and the reclamation of voice. Raised in Peru’s national choir system, music became her lifeline and pathway to expression. She joined Te Karanga’s DOJO programme in May 2025, where she continues to grow as an artist and storyteller, expressing truths she once felt unable to share.

SIRCÉ is a 28-year-old singer and creative artist who has spent the past four years in Te Karanga’s South Navigators programme and was the very first participant in the Wāhine Navigators pathway. Her music is rooted in joy, self-expression, and emotional honesty. Creating helps her step beyond her comfort zone, connect with herself, and give meaning to her experiences. Through her music, SIRCÉ shares stories and emotions that words alone cannot hold — offering something real, vulnerable, and deeply felt to her community.

This visit is made possible through the Sony International Justice Fund, and Te Karanga are proud recipients of this support. The Fund backs Te Karanga’s Navigators Programme and has recently extended funding to strengthen kaupapa across Te Ika-a-Māui. Sony’s commitment helps Te Karanga continue delivering youth-led initiatives, cultural identity development, and safe creative pathways for rangatahi.

Te Karanga Trust is honoured to host Makayla and to work alongside Sony Music Group in empowering young people and strengthening community connections through music, storytelling, and shared experience.

Israel Starr & The Mighty Asterix Release “Special Selection” A father-and-son anthem over 30years in the making

When Israel Starr (Ngāti Porou )teams up with his father, the legendary Mighty Asterix, the result is something truly special. Their new single, “Special Selection”, is a powerful celebration of family, legacy, and reggae culture.

Written and co-produced by the father-and-son duo, Special Selection captures a feeling that’s been more than three decades in the making. Taking inspiration from the golden era of early-1980s reggae, the track is both a celebration and a “we’ve finally made it” moment — the sound of generations meeting in harmony.

With its warm tempo, uplifting chord progression, and soulful melodies, Special Selection feels like the start-of-summer anthem that plays just after the darkness fades and new life begins. It’s that song that hits as the sun rises again — when the world exhales.

Blending roots authenticity with Israel’s distinctive modern production, Special Selection is a feel-good reggae anthem that offers a welcome counterbalance to the world’s noise. For three minutes, it takes listeners away — leaving them with a lasting sense of hope, light, and love.

The single — released via BlessUp Music and distributed by DRM New Zealand — will be available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music from Friday, 14 November.

A Legacy of Sound — Israel Starr

Based in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, Israel Starr (Ngāti Porou) is a multi-Platinum and Gold-certified artist, producer, and label founder whose blend of authentic roots reggae, funk, and world music has earned him some of the country’s highest accolades — including Best Roots Artist at the Aotearoa Music Awards and two-time winner of Best Reggae Album at the National Māori Music Awards.

The son of reggae legend The Mighty Asterix, Israel’s connection to music runs deep through his whakapapa and upbringing within the Twelve Tribes of Israel Rasta community. Surrounded from childhood by musical greats such as Che Fu, Herbs, and Chong Nee, he learned his craft directly from Aotearoa’s reggae pioneers — with his father as his biggest teacher and inspiration.

A child of sound-system culture, Israel’s work embodies both roots authenticity and forward-thinking production. His acclaimed 2022 album Keepers of the Flame was praised by journalist Martyn Pepperell as:

“One of the most ambitious reggae and dub albums recorded in Aotearoa since the dawn of the 21st century.”

While reggae writer The Groove Thief hailed it as:

“A true cultural and musical triumph.”

Across his career, Israel has collaborated with reggae royalty including Lutan Fyah, Luciano, Gappy Ranks, Million Stylez, Mutabaruka, and Exile the Brave, alongside Aotearoa favourites Tiki Taane, Lion Rezz, Melodownz, Awa (Nesian Mystic), Tomorrow People, and Sons of Zion.

Outside of performing, Israel runs the independent label BlessUp Music, home to 10 number-one singles, five top-ten hits, two Platinum records, two Gold records, and over 20 million Spotify streams. He was a finalist for Breakthrough Manager of the Year at the MMF Awards and continues to mentor emerging Pacific artists through production, live shows, and community work.

His track “Spiritual Healing” was featured by Sir David Rodigan on BBC Radio 1 Xtra in  2022, further cementing his place as one of the Pacific’s leading voices in reggae and Rastafari culture.

“I love making music because it’s one of the only things in my life that has no rules,” says Israel Starr.

About The Mighty Asterix

The Mighty Asterix is a pioneer and legend of Aotearoa’s reggae movement. Beginning his journey in Palmerston North in the late 1970s and rising through Auckland’s Twelve Tribes of Israel community, Asterix became known for his powerful ragga vocals and commanding stage presence. From early Deepgrooves releases and collaborations with DLT, Stinky Jim, and Unitone HiFi, to recent work with Salmonella Dub, he remains one of New Zealand’s most respected reggae voices — a foundation artist whose influence spans generations.

Will McClean to release “BOOK OF LIFE / UP”

Wellington hip hop artist Will McClean steps into a new era with the release of his double single “BOOK OF LIFE / UP”, arriving December 5th. 

The project marks the first official release featuring his full live band, building chemistry on stages across New Zealand and turning these songs into crowd favourites long before they were ever recorded. 

“BOOK OF LIFE / UP” bridges jazz-rap, boom bap, and heavy live instrumentation, reflecting the musical identity that has defined McClean’s growth as an artist. After a run of major performances - including Rhythm & Vines, Festival of Lights, and headline shows - the new release marks the beginning of an elevated artistic chapter. 

BOOK OF LIFE 

Suspenseful from the opening, ominous keys, BOOK OF LIFE captures Will’s signature introspection - turning years into lyrical journal entries. 

Fans often note this track with a Rage Against the Machine-like energy at shows, the lyrics and build from the band carrying the weight of the track. 

UP 

Energetic, percussive, and built for the stage. UP has become one of the most requested songs at Will’s shows, known for its explosive drops and feel-good momentum. The studio version finally bottles the live magic seen at gigs. 

Both tracks were recorded at Massey University Wellington and engineered by Arran Cargill-Brown, capturing the raw, energetic feel of Will’s live show.

Allgood Absolute Alternative Records Ltd are proud to announce Album Nine, Troy Kingi Presents: Night Lords (2025). Album out November 28th

“MOKOMŌKAI have been one of my favourite homegrown artists for a while now. I was lucky enough to jam on a few tracks from their first two albums, their musicality is top tier - and Manu is definitely the crown jewel, a voice and flow so unique and refreshing he’s found his pocket on the backbeat, off the hit, a one of a kind voice - definitely hard to replicate. My whanaunga from the far north goes hard on this track ‘Hori on a Hoiho’ - a song that summons ancestors an imagery of muskets and war tactics, backed by a sinister guitar/bass riff and downtempo rhythm I couldn’t think of a better way to open the album.” Troy Kingi

 About “Night Lords”

Turning to Hip Hop and RnB, featuring SWIDT, Diggy Dupē, Tom Scott, Melodownz, MokoMokai, and Mā. The record continues Kingi’s practice of deep collaboration and documentation of genre, flexing his producer skills while highlighting the strength and breadth of Aotearoa’s contemporary music scene.  

“In my day to day life, living with two teens and 2 younger avid music listeners I’d say we listen to a lot of hiphop, actually mostly hiphop. 

My kids try school me on the now and I try fumble my way through schooling them on my limited knowledge of 90s hiphop.

From the beginning of my 10/10/10 series I was trying to find a way to insert this genre without it seeming forced or pastiche and I found my in through the albums Blakroc and then later ‘Glorious Game’ by El Michels Affair and Black Thought. I could still be authentic and true to the music and not feel like a phoney through collaboration- bringing people on board that I admire and that live and breathe the genre.

In a somewhat songhubsy format I brought these amazing artists into the studio with me and my band and just let things happen - by the end of each day we had these amazing songs. 

My biggest accomplishment on the album I feel is how cohesive it all is, you have 14 artists all amazing and different in their right yet it all feels cut from the same cloth. I’m super proud of the album and can’t wait to share it.” Troy Kingi 

About Troy Kingi 

Troy is a musician, actor, and storyteller, a man with many hats.  He has undertaken the 10/10/10 series — ten albums, in ten genres, over ten years — an ambitious project that has become one of the most distinctive catalogues in Aotearoa music.  

Each release has explored a new style in depth:  Guitar Party at Uncles Bach (2016) – Indie Garage  Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way to Zygertron (2017) – Psychedelic Space Soul  Holy Colony Burning Acres (2019) – Indigenous Political Roots  The Ghost of Freddie Cesar (2020) – Funk  Black Sea Golden Ladder (2021) – Folk  Year of the Ratbags and their Musty Theme Songs (2022) – 80s Synthpop  Timewasters:  Soundtrack to Current Day Meanderings (2023) - Instrumental Soundscape Soul  Leatherman and the Mojave Green (2024) – Desert rock  

The series has earned him multiple awards and nominations: the Taite Music Prize, APRA Silver Scroll, Maioha Award, Aotearoa Music Awards, Māori Music Awards alongside vast collaborations across film, theatre, and television.  

With one album left to complete the cycle, Kingi has created a discography ambitious in scale and significant in its contribution to New Zealand’s musical history.

"It seems surreal to me that we have reached album 9 already, despite the obvious evidence. 

Its been such a whirlwind, of experiences, creative expression, fun, stress, love, loss and expansion. The 10|10|10 series is more than just 10 Genres in 10 years, its  a group of people falling in love creating deep bonds, whanau living and experiencing life, captured by Troys deeply beautiful and personal writing. 

This project is a cyclone with Troy at its core, drawing in incredible artists, film makers, graphic designers, photographers, production teams, all ingredients in the wonderful Melstrom of Troy's creative vision. It has touched so many lives, and I can't wait to see what the coming two years bring... I am confident in one thing... It'll be wild, wonderful and create memories that last a life time". TeMatera Smith.

Mazbou Q & ATU release Movin' Cautious

“Movin’ Cautious” marks a rare collision of two of Aotearoa’s most forward thinking musical minds: Rapper and rhythm theorist Mazbou Q, and prog-metal guitarist/composer ATU. The pair deliver a sound that sits well outside the boundaries of either genre, fusing prog’s razor-edged guitar precision with modern trap-leaning drums and melodic hooks. What's ultimately formed is something that feels like the next evolutionary step of nu-metal.

While most rap and rock collaborations borrow familiar tropes, “Movin’ Cautious” aggressively rewrites the formula altogether. The verses move through alternating and odd time signatures, creating a rhythmic instability that mirrors the track’s central theme: the consequences that inevitably arrive when people speak recklessly, hide behind anonymity, or provoke conflict they aren’t ready to face. Mazbou Q glides across these shifting pulses with an ease that’s become synonymous with his identity as The Rap Scientist. His cadences feel natural and intuitive even as the beat mutates around him, echoing the approach he recently showcased in his viral rap reinterpretation of Dream Theater’s “The Dance of Eternity,” a video that received enthusiastic praise from prog legends Mike Portnoy, Jordan Rudess, Kiko Loureiro, Misha Mansoor, Tosin Abasi, and others.

As the rhythmic tension builds in the verses, the song erupts into soaring 4/4 choruses that provide a clear release.  Mazbou Q’s melodic trap-style vocals cut through with ease, and what might normally feel like a familiar groove lands with far greater impact after the surrounding turbulence. This contrast between structured chaos and anthemic simplicity plays into the song’s narrative: moments of volatility giving way to hard truth. “Movin’ Cautious” reminds listeners that actions have consequences (“What goes around comes back upon us”), and that in a culture where provocation is cheap, accountability can be costly.

ATU’s performance is equally central to the song’s identity. His trademark tonal crispness and dynamic phrasing come through clearly, and his rhythmic, syncopated slapping-style guitar work in the bridge heightens the track’s sense of danger and urgency. It serves as a striking preview of his long-awaited upcoming album, with the rollout set to begin in December. This will be his first major body of work since 2018’s masterful Point of View EP.

“Movin’ Cautious” also lands during a period of strong momentum for Mazbou Q. His third studio album, RAP SCIENCE., arrived in May, with its single “TORQUE.” becoming a Top 5 finalist at the 2025 APRA Silver Scrolls.  The new release arrives just one day ahead of his performance at Auckland’s The Others Way Festival (29 November), followed by appearances at AUM Festival (31 December) and Festival of Lights (2 January).

Blending technical showmanship with bold social commentary, “Movin’ Cautious” is both musically groundbreaking and thematically pointed. This track cuts through the noise of all-too-familiar, eye-roll-inducing descriptions of “genre defying” music and authentically reimagines the collision of two vastly different sonic worlds, embracing complexity without sacrificing impact. Very few rap records have ever taken this approach to time manipulation, and even fewer have managed to pair it with a sound as accessible and engaging as this.

ZOE SCOTT – ‘BURN THE WITCH’

“Burn the Witch” is an ode to femme power and resilience; and how the many archetypes of the feminine have been shamed into silence and submission by the systems that be.

This single sets out to reclaim the title ‘Witch’, and powerfully ruminates on finding strength in the very fire meant to silence you. It tells the story of transformation through pain and sisterhood, questioning the contradictions femmes face existing within patriarchal society.

The track builds from quiet reflection to a sweeping, cinematic crescendo. With layered vocal harmonies, driving percussion, squealing lapsteel and an almost ritualistic intensity, Zoe delivers a performance that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

“Burn the Witch is for the femmes who have been fucked over by the world of man.” Zoe explains. “It’s about their anger, their beauty, their mess. It’s a critique of the masculine, their lust turned hatred. Why do you hate all you want? A contradiction so fraught…”

‘Burn The Witch’ will be released on all streaming platforms on Friday 28th of November 2025, along with an accompanying music video produced by Maison Alma and Mythos Media.

CREDITS

Written by: Zoe Scott
Produced by: Zoe Scott

Vocals & Guitar: Zoe Scott

Lapsteel: Zach Evans

Electric Guitar & Pedal Steel: Dan Kalisher

Bass: Fendy Rizk

Drums: Komang Priatna Suardi

Recorded at: Soma Sound Studios & Taman Bermain Nosstress

Mixed & Mastered by: Kahu Sanson-Burnett

Artwork by: Seb Boyles & Cormac Doyle

Based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Zoe Scott is an indie folk artist whose music plays on the alchemy of vulnerability and power through cinematic storytelling. Her sound moves between intimate and expansive — weaving ethereal harmonies, organic textures, and emotional honesty into lyrics that feel both grounded and transcendent.

Drawing from her travels and most recent creative studies at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University, Zoe crafts music that explores the reclamation of shame, feminine lust, love and violence. Her work resonates with those drawn to emotional vulnerability and atmospheric soundscapes — songs that feel like confession and incantation all at once.

Nic Manders Releases New Single “Walking Slowly”

Aotearoa Music Awards Producer of the Year Nic Manders returns with his new single “Walking Slowly”; a contemplative and immersive track born from a quiet moment amidst the busyness.

The song began unexpectedly at Roundhead Studios, where Manders—minutes before a session—sat down at Neil Finn’s new Steinway piano and captured an unplanned two-minute improvisation.

“Some songs tell you what they need to be,” says Manders. “Walking Slowly” came together through a set of little revelatory moments. I recorded a couple of impromptu chords on the piano, not thinking anything of it. 

Back at his Parachute Music studio, Manders revisited the piano sketch, crafting a beat around it and quickly laying down the first vocal phrase: “walking slowly.”

“It wasn’t until I listened back a few days later that it even dawned on me what I had sung,” he reflects. “Sometimes the subconscious will reveal things you’re not necessarily even aware of, and I felt it was important to listen to that whisper! We’re living in such tumultuous times—globally and internally, and hopefully this is an encouragement to us to breathe, slow down, see the wonder, and find peace within the chaos.”

“Walking Slowly” is available now on all streaming platforms.

Rising stars and celebrated producers band together to honour the music and languages of the Pacific

A ‘who’s who’ of Pasifika artists and music producers have come together on a powerful project  aimed at revitalising the Pacific’s most vulnerable and endangered languages. 

HIVA FOLAU VAKA - Vaka Carrying Music is a legacy project of the Pacific Music Awards Trust,  nurturing the creation of new songs in Pacific languages, as part of the 20th anniversary of the  Pacific Music Awards.  

At the heart of the project is a 22-track compilation album, which celebrates new and original  Pacific music, and honours the languages of Vagahau Niue, Te Gagana Tokelau and Te Reo Māori Kuki ‘Āirani. The album will be released on Friday November 28.

Today sees the release of the first single from the project, ‘Penina He Moana’, by artists Vitinia and Eseta, produced by Vince Harder. The single is an upbeat summer celebratory track, and is  bi-lingual Vagahau Niue and English. 

A compilation album like no other, HIVA FOLAU VAKA features well-known, celebrated artists  such as Maisey Rika and Tipene, as well as exciting emerging acts like Fredwyn, Eseta, Vitinia,  Kitoria, Nayeza, Vox Dawn and Jere Snohh. The artists worked with top tier producers, including  Vince Harder, David Atai, Tenei ‘10A’ Kesha and Christian Mausia to create intergenerational  songs for the whole family, providing the connection for families who may be disconnected from  each other and from their homelands. It beautifully combines multiple languages, traditional to  contemporary genres and an all-ages collective of artists. Most of all, it is an incredible  collection of songs set to become new Pacific classics for the future. 

They include: ‘Tala-Noa’, a waiata in te reo Māori and Gagana Samoa, which was created  during a gathering to pilot the project. Collaborating on ‘Tala-Noa’ were the artists Maisey Rika,  Kas Tha Feelstyle, Tipene, Mo Etc. and Kenzie from Welly, who worked with producer Tenei ‘10A’  Kesha. As the first song completed for HIVA FOLAU VAKA it serves as a collective taonga and  was fittingly performed for the first time, to open the 2024 Pacific Music Awards. 

The creative process for the waiata laid out the blueprint for how the remaining songs were  crafted, using a village approach with gatherings in Auckland and Wellington. 

The songwriting sessions provided the opportunity for local artists to write and record songs in  their own languages - a first time experience for many of the artists and producers involved.  

"As a proud Cook Islander it was an easy yes when asked to be a part of this project. When we  preserve our language, we preserve our identity, our culture, our people. HIVA FOLAU VAKA embodies this ethos," says producer David Atai (Nesian Mystik, Crescendo Trust of Aotearoa). 

“Working on the HIVA FOLAU VAKA album with the PMAs has been one of the most rewarding  experiences of my career. Collaborating with such talented producers, and our emerging artists,  while writing music in Niue, Tokelau, and Cook Island languages allowed me to connect deeper  with these cultures and build great friendships. I found a new love and respect for the  languages, and the process of learning and translating even the smallest phrases opened my  mind to a whole new world of sound. Creating music that brings our Pacific languages to more  ears and hearts is a privilege I cherish. Malo lava le soifua,” says the award-winning artist,  producer and manager, Vince Harder. 

HIVA FOLAU VAKA aims to positively contribute to the revitalisation of Pacific languages, for the  diverse Pacific communities who call Aotearoa home, beginning with the languages that are  endangered and vulnerable.  

Through connecting new and emerging acts with experienced producers, knowledge holders  and professional recording studios, HIVA FOLAU VAKA aims to not only empower and support  those involved, but to spark awareness in others too.  

“My hope is that HIVA FOLAU VAKA will set the standard for more upcoming Pacific artists to 

explore the use of Pacific languages with traditional and contemporary music, rhythms and  beats. Storytelling and narratives through music is inherent in our Pacific cultures and provides  healing, resilience and wellbeing, especially as our young people navigate social issues such as  mental health, disability, domestic and family violence and suicide prevention,” says Fonoti Pati  Umaga (Project Lead - HIVA FOLAU VAKA). 

Revitalising languages is a collective responsibility and requires a collective approach and HIVA  FOLAU VAKA is the Pacific Music Awards Trust’s contribution to this movement.  

“The call to action is to listen to all the songs from the album; find the ones for you to learn – play  on repeat and share it within your family. Then take the chance to learn more of a language  that is important to you.” says Project Manager, Petrina Togi-Sa’ena. 

“We hope HIVA FOLAU VAKA can positively contribute to language revitalisation and for the  album to resonate with our communities here in Aotearoa, the Pacific region and across the  world. Music is a powerful medium that can reach the masses, all ages, diverse communities. It  can be the vehicle that amplifies and sustains our languages and we hope, will contribute to  their survival for many generations to come.”