Latest news with #OnAir
Scoop
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
NZ On Air Congratulates The Winners Of The 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards
NZ On Air proudly congratulates all the winners and finalists of the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards (AMA), held last night at the Viaduct Events Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau. This year's ceremony marked a significant milestone – celebrating 60 years of the Tūī – and showcased the extraordinary talent and diversity of the music community of Aotearoa. As a longstanding partner of AMA, NZ On Air is honoured to support this iconic event and to celebrate the depth of artistry that defines our local music scene. 'This year's winners reflect the incredible breadth of talent in Aotearoa – from genre-defying newcomers to established icons who continue to push boundaries,' says NZ On Air Head of Music, Teresa Patterson. 'We are proud to support AMA and this important celebration of local music that resonates with audiences here and around the world.' NZ On Air acknowledges the many artists supported through its music funding and initiatives, who were recognised across multiple categories at this year's Aotearoa Music Awards. 80% of winners have been supported by NZ On Air. 'Their success is a testament to the power of authentic storytelling, hard work and dedication to craft and the importance of funding and support across the music ecosystem to ensure a diversity of quality local music for audiences,' says Patterson. NZ On Air also extends its warmest congratulations to the following NZ On Air-sponsored awards recipients: NZ On Air Te Tino Pukaemi o te Tau | Album of the Year–FazerdazeforSoft Power NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Ataata | Best Music Video Content–Oscar Keys, Ezra Simons, Kristin Li – 'Paradise' (DARTZ) NZ On Air Te Taumata o te Horapa | Radio Airplay Record of the Year–L.A.B For more information about NZ On Air's music funding and support, visit the NZ On Air website.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Legendary Artist Willie Nelson Congratulates Tami Neilson In Beautiful Tribute Video
In a special addition to Gore's annual Country Music Honours on Friday 23 May, audiences witnessed the emotive debut of the Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa. The inaugural recipient of this award was the acclaimed Tami Neilson, who was recognised for her outstanding impact and unwavering dedication to the country music scene - in front of a sold out theatre in NZ's country music capital. The Honour took Neilson by complete surprise as she stood on stage to watch a beautiful tribute video featuring Jesse Mulligan (RNZ), the Topp Twins, her Canada-based brother Todd Neilson, and the one and only Willie Nelson. Overcome with emotion during her acceptance speech, Neilson bid farewell to her fake lashes mid-sentence as she thanked the country music community for decades of support. The video opened with artists and industry members describing Tami's voice in a few words, such as 'rich and captivating' (Teresa Patterson, Head of Music, NZ On Air) and 'lungs of gold,' (award-winning songwriter Ebony Lamb). The Topp Twins, Dame Jools and Lynda Topp, reminisced on their instant love of Tami's music and the pride they feel in watching her climb the ranks and keep the door kicked open for the emerging artists behind her. In the tear filled theatre, Tami watched the video conclude with the whakatauki 'ka mua ka kite a muri,' from fellow country artist Nicola Mitchell, just before Tami's songwriting hero Willie Nelson appeared on screen to offer the English translation; Those who lead, give light to those who follow. The Honour followed a huge week for Neilson, with the announcement of her nationwide Neon Cowgirl tour and her new single 'Borrow My Boots' being added to rotation on NZME's new country music radio station; iHeartCountry New Zealand. Despite being one of the most significant figures to ever emerge from country music stages in Aotearoa New Zealand, this is the first time Tami's music has been playlist on commercial terrestrial radio in New Zealand. A moment that marks the beginning of a new era for an artist who has fiercely carved her own path in the music industry for over thirty years. The Country Music Honours are delivered by the NZ Songwriter's Trust, which is led by Gore local Vanessa Harvey. The Honour for Contribution to Country Music fills an important gap in the local music industry, acknowledging those both on and off the stage who have contributed to the growth of the country music genre. Vanessa shares, 'This recognition for Tami is well overdue and we feel so privileged to have had her in Gore for the Country Music Honours this year. New Zealand audiences and artists have been inspired and uplifted by her for decades and there is nobody more fitting for our first Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music.' The Honours are rapidly becoming a calendar staple for many music lovers and are one of over 70 events in Gore's 10 day Bayleys Tussock Country Music Festival - held in Gore in late May each year. The Country Music Honour for APRA Best Country Song was awarded to Holly Arrowsmith for 'Blue Dreams' and the Country Music Honour for the MLT Songwriting Award to Nicola Mitchell, Byllie-Jean Zeta, and Em-Hayley Walker (Theia, Te Kaahu) for their waiata 'Wā/Time'
Scoop
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
NLC Drops Soulful Te Reo Māori Single For NZ Music Month
Award-winning New Zealand reggae band NLC is about to drop a new single just in time for the final week of New Zealand Music Month. The Whanganui-based musicians are well known for their fusion of reggae with elements of soul and dub woven with te reo Māori and English. Their latest offering goes one step further; an original song recorded totally in te reo Māori, called Ko au ko au. The song was written by NLC's lead singer Baz Muir and translated into te reo Māori by well-known television presenter and entertainer, Te Hāmua Nikora. Muir said the single is the band's fifth recorded waiata in te reo Māori and he's excited to be able to finally share it during NZ Music Month 2025. He said Ko au ko au is a song about "living in a silent life'. 'It's a thought-provoking song that touches on those times in your life when you feel that you can't speak about all of the challenges you might be facing. 'It's about encouraging people to make a change, to have the courage to speak about their insecurities. 'We want this song to help people understand that speaking to others can help them find their identity. After all, everyone has their own special identity that makes them unique.' The new song was made with the support of NZ On Air and is being released on May 26, 2025. It will be a stand-out feature among the group's impressive catalogue of work produced over the past decade.
Sydney Morning Herald
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Soft clubbing': Gen Z swap alcohol for coffee as new dance venues emerge
It's not unusual to hear that nightlife is dying, as bars and clubs across Australia shut down. Gen Z and Millennials often bear the brunt of the blame for this. But perhaps, as Ntahilaja writes, today's youth (the loneliest generation) desire connection and fun just as much as their predecessors. The environments in which this happens just look a little different. Last month, Fatboy Slim played an impromptu show to a packed crowd in a Melbourne fish and chip shop and many gyms and fitness studios now resemble nightclubs, with neon lights and the kind of music you'd expect to hear at a music festival. Everywhere, it seems, is a club – except the club. Gwyther's cafe raves are just one of many events on Maple Social Club's calendar, including dinner parties and pickleball, but all have the same ethos: social connection, fun and accessibility. She says one of the most common questions she is asked is whether it's okay to come alone to an event. 'I reckon we probably are about 50/50 of people coming solo versus people coming with friends, but I found that a lot of people who come solo to one will come together to the next event,' she says. Loading Romantic connection is part of it too – Gwyther and Connor are developing a dating app. 'They're not singles events, they're free community events. But really we see it as finding the right people that we would want on our platform,' says Gwyther. In the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Cremorne, a different kind of experience marrying coffee and music has emerged. On Air, founded by Deyon Murphy, 33, and Francesca Poci, 26, is a permanent cafe where you can grab a morning latte alongside live DJ sets and radio shows. 'We thought, what could be the most Melbourne idea we could do? And we thought coffee and DJs,' says Murphy, who previously worked in the music industry. 'So remove the alcohol element, remove the club element and make it something that people can come and enjoy every weekend and leave feeling full and not hungover.' Murphy is careful to differentiate On Air from the heaving, caffeine-fuelled dance floors that have become popular on social media platforms like TikTok – although he acknowledges the trend has helped propel the business into the zeitgeist. 'We never wanted it to be a rave. We wanted it to be like a listening lounge or an experience, so people can come and discover different sounds and different artists in Melbourne.' Loading They chose Cremorne, which has been referred to as the 'Silicone Valley of Melbourne' for its proximity to young professionals. 'Our key demographic are young creative entrepreneurs really, and that's why we run the fashion series [a video series of interviews with Australian fashion designers they post on social media], and we're going to run a series on health entrepreneurs. That's the sort of people that we're trying to tie in to what we're doing,' says Murphy. Indeed, Murphy' hopes for On Air is for it to become bigger than just a café. Their artists are featured on a YouTube channel, while Murphy hopes to eventually develop a record label as part of the business. 'It's about finding our community,' he says. Tanya Mohan, 26, co-founded Mix&Matcha:AM earlier this year after witnessing the explosion of coffee clubs overseas. 'At the time when we were planning this, no one had done it in Melbourne and Australia, and so we decided to bring it down here.' Mohan, alongside friends Winzwen Tan, DJ Shwads and Isabelle Tan held their first 'Coffee Meets Matcha Party', in collaboration with Singapore-based coffee club beans&beats, at the end of April. 'I've got a passion for music and my co-founder's [Tan] got a passion for making coffees and matchas, and so he specialises in that,' she says. Loading The response, Mohan says, has been huge. 'We've grown really quickly since launching and it hasn't even been a month, but it's been overwhelmingly positive,' she says. Like Gwyther and Murphy, she thinks people her age are tired of traditional nightclub spaces.
Edinburgh Live
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Fans find out meaning behind Charli xcx's name and why she won't change it
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Charli xcx was already building momentum long before her album "Brat summer" dominated the charts and timelines in 2024. However, it appears that fans have only recently uncovered the unusual story behind her stage name. Charlotte Emma Aitchison, known by her stage name Charli xcx, made headlines in June 2024 with the release of her sixth studio album BRAT. The album's bold aesthetic, non-stop energy, and viral marketing campaign not only defined the summer but also introduced her music to a new and significantly larger audience. Her rise to fame began with the 2014 hit Boom Clap, followed by the unapologetically playful Boys in 2017, which took over playlists everywhere. In 2018, she even served as the opening act for Taylor Swift's global Reputation stadium tour, occasionally joining Swift on stage for the crowd-pleaser Shake It Off. Despite her growing discography and high-profile appearances, the meaning behind her stage name remained a mystery to some fans. As it turns out, the origin of her name is a nostalgic throwback. (Image: AFP via Getty Images) In a 2015 interview with Tanya Rad on On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Charli revealed that her now-famous stage name was inspired by her teenage MSN Messenger days, reports Surrey Live. "XCX was my MSN screen name when I was younger, which was really gnarly of me, I guess," she recalled. "It stood for kiss Charli kiss. "When I first started playing my first shows, the promoter was like, 'What should I put on the flyer?' I was like 14 or 15, and I was like 'Uh, just put Charli xcx!' And it just kind of stuck from there." At the 2015 Grammy Awards, she humorously remarked on the red carpet: "Gotta stick with it... I'm not gonna pull a Prince," in a playful reference to the iconic musician's decision to change his name to an unpronounceable symbol. (Image: Getty Images) Charli xcx has since etched her name into British pop history. Hailing from Cambridge and growing up in Essex, she has emerged as one of the UK's most innovative artists, earning both critical acclaim and commercial success. Her album BRAT received widespread praise last year, bagging multiple awards including Album of the Year at the 2025 BRIT Awards, Artist of the Year, Best Dance Act, Song of the Year for 'Guess' (featuring Billie Eilish), and Songwriter of the Year. She also triumphed at the Grammys, winning Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Recording Package.
