The next Nesian Mystik or perhaps a singer to rival Lorde could be discovered as local bands and musicians compete at the Smokefreerockquest heats.
The Bay of Plenty regional heats for Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats 2017 are being held this Sunday at Otumoetai College in Tauranga.
Students can enter in the solo/duo section as well as being part of a band and they can be considered for Smokefree Pacifica Beats at the SFRQ heats if their performance has at least one Maori or Pacific element.
The winner of the solo/duo section will be announced at the heats, along with the top two acts for consideration for the Smokefree Pacifica Beats national finals.
The top 12 bands will be selected to play off at the Bay of Plenty final at Totara St Performing Arts Centre in Mount Maunganui on Friday, June 30 at 7pm.
The NZ Music Commission Bands Programme, with funding provided by the Ministry of Education, provides mentoring and support by music industry professionals at the Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats competition events.
In the Bay of Plenty, the mentor is Auckland-based Seth Haapu, of Maori and Tahitian descent, whose self-titled debut album was nominated for a NZ Music Award.
Smokefree Rockquest founder and director Pete Rainey said Smokefree had been supporting young Kiwis to showcase their music for 27 years.
"We're proud to be part of a change that means smoking really doesn't have a place in young people's bands or their world today.
"It's great to stage an event that recognises that today's musicians and artists will play a huge role in shaping New Zealand's future with the goal of Smokefree 2025."
Tickets for the regional final on June 30 are available from NZTix.co.nz, $20 for adults and $10 for students.
The regional events for both Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats run from May 12 until July 7, with the top regional bands and solo/duos submitting video footage for selection to play off at the Smokefree Pacifica Beats national final on Friday September 1 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, followed by the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 2.
Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners' prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package' a 'Decent Exposure' campaign on The Edge TV, a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends.
There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, and the People's Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.
Bay of Plenty solo/duo entrants:
- Fletcher Oxford (Tauranga Boys' College)
- A11 (Mt Maunganui College)
- Andre Moffat (Tauranga Boys' College)
- She's not a Punker (Western Heights High School)
- Contradiction (Tarawera High School)
- Paras (Bethlehem College)
- Syla (Western Heights High School)
- Jazzy and Elijah (Mt Maunganui College)
- Caleb Cross and Joshua Dodanduwa (Bethlehem College)
- Aneska and Billy (Edgecumbe College)
- Chloe Janssen (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Bree Rose (Katikati College)
- Michaela Pointon (Tauhara College)
- Alicia Swanepoel, Nicholas Rinemhota (Bethlehem College)
- Samantha McCutchan (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Fraser and Tawhao (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Charu (Western Heights High School)
- Heather Rielly (Tauhara College)
Bay of Plenty band entrants
- 3 Quarters Late (Bethlehem College)
- Jovi (Bethlehem College)
- The Good Stuff (Bethlehem College)
- Cluster (Aquinas College)
- Eyes of Blue (Rotorua Lakes High School)
- Bare Knuckled (Katikati & Rutherford Colleges)
- Unnecessary Jams (Mt Maunganui College)
- B.I.A (Brother In Arms) (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Hunt The Rest (Western Heights High School)
- Dead End (Otumoetai Intermediate)
- The Harmonics (Western Heights High School)
- College Road (Edgecumbe College)
- Trouser Men (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Sonos (Tauranga Boys' College)
- #four40's (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Timeless Black Trident High (St Joseph's Catholic School, Whakatane High)
- Sandaltansummah (Tauranga Girls' College)
- Twitch (Western Heights High School)
- t boyz (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- French Doors (Otumoetai College)
- In The Pocket (Reporoa College)
- Minnie and the Lads (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Truth (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- In The Resource Room (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Made alive (Whakatane & Trident High Schools)
- Messenger (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- The Smorgasbord Experience (Trident High School)
- FRESH VIBES (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Sonorous (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Anastasia (Western Heights High School)
Smokefree Pacifica Beats entrants:
- Fraser and Tawhao (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- #four40's (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Truth (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- TE UREWERA (TKKM o Huiarau)
- t boyz (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- FRESH VIBES (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Messenger (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Trouser Men (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- The Smorgasbord Experience (Trident High School)
- B.I.A (Brother In Arms) (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Anastasia (Western Heights High School)