Whanganui High School win Whanganui Smokefreerockquest Solo-Duo
This week the winners of this year's Whanganui Smokefreerockquest competition in the solo/duo category have been announced, both winning a prize package from the Rockshop and going into the national selection pool for the event’s live national final.
The top Whanganui solo duos are Dennihe and Toa from Whanganui High School (first) and Maui Wowee from Ruapehu College (second).
After placing second last year in the Solo-Duo category for the Whanganui region, Dennihe Edwards (piano, vocals) and Toa Tawhitapou (vocals) were ecstatic to find out they took out the top spot.
“We cried when we found out we had won. We were in the music room screaming,” says Dennihe.
"We represented our culture by wearing Ei. We write songs for our teenage friends and their trials. We want to write relatable songs for our audience.”
The competing bands in the region are currently in the process of submitting their video entries for consideration. Entries for the band category close this week on 24 July, with the winner’s announcement happening next month on 7 August. Along with the announcement of the three bands, there will be the Musicianship Award, Rockshop Electronic Assisted Performance, Best Vocal, APRA Lyrics Award and the ZM Best Song.
Smokefree Tangata Beats is run alongside Smokefreerockquest with a focus on the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific. Entries for this programme also close this week on 24 July with the winners announced the following week on 31 July.
Smokefreerockquest founder and director, Pete Rainey, says that at the regional level some entrants are already demonstrating the stand out factor that may see them achieve music career success.
“It’s fascinating for us to look back at success stories like Kimbra, Marlon Williams and Broods where we could see the star factor right back at the regional level. Each event gives a new cohort of bands the opportunity to take their obsession with music and develop the organisational and stagecraft skills that will help them become another Kiwi music success.”
The top regional bands and solo/duos submit new footage for selection as finalists to play off at the Smokefreerockquest national final in Auckland on Saturday, September 12, with the Smokefree Tangata Beats national final held the night before on Friday, September 11.
Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package and a photoshoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends. There is also the Musicianship Award, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, Rockshop Electronic Performance Award, Best Song Award and Smokefree Vocals Award.
Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest include Broods, Marlon Williams, Robinson, Fazerdaze, Drax Project, Six60, Leisure, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Joel Little, Tiny Ruins, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Chelsea Jade, Nadia Reid, Die!Die!Die!, Leroy Clampitt, Aldous Harding, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Skinny Hobos, Kimbra, Aaradhna, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga, and Balu Brigada. Smokefree Tangata Beats standout successes include Alien Weaponry, Strangely Arousing and Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have ten singles all certified gold or platinum.
River City Press 23/7/20