Female musicians to the fore for outdoor concert in Kirikiriroa
Mike Mather
A new programme - and a free outdoor concert - is part of a plan to assist hundreds of young musicians struggling to make headway in the Waikato’s music scene.
It’s a struggle that is slowly improving, thanks to initiatives like the recentlylaunched initiative To The Front, which aims to assist young women, trans, intersex, takatāpui and gender diverse youth. The programme will get a boost the concert headlined by acclaimed singer-songwriter Hollie Smith at Victoria on the River in Hamilton on Saturday, March 30.
Starting at 11.30am and funded and organised by the Hamilton Live Music Trust, the Riff Raff Trust and Girls Rock Aotearoa, the To The Front concert is shaping up as a memorable event.
Smith is one of Aotearoa’s most successful female artists. Her album Humour and the Misfortune of Others achieved gold status and secured four number one spots on the RIANZ charts.
She came to fame with the song Bathe in The River. Written by Don McGlashan, the tune, from the soundtrack of dominated the New Zealand Top 10 charts for 20 weeks and remained in the Top 40 for an impressive 37 weeks.
Joining the line-up is Vikae, a Ukrainianborn, Auckland-based artist who has been creating waves at festivals including the
Soundsplash and Baydreams concerts. Her recently-released album Love Games Deluxe features a mix of critically lauded alt-pop, electro and love ballad songs.
Also on the billing is acclaimed artist Amy Maynard. Formerly of Hamilton band
Looking For Alaska, Maynard has amassed an impressive following of 37,000 TikTok fans. Completing the line-up are Raglan electronic-pop artist Soulti - aka Teresa Michels - who recently supported Bic Runga at the Hamilton Arts Festival; and
Lehali, the performing identity of Rosalie Norton, a young Hamilton artist and blogger who is also building an impressive online following. The concert will also be orchestrated by an all-female team, spanning organisation, PA company, sound, and tech.
That such an event is hitherto unheard of reflects the state of the music industry throughout New Zealand, which has long been dominated by men - either as members of bands or running things behind the scenes.
Sometimes by circumstance, sometimes by design, this means women often face extra barriers to acceptance and participation. And the Waikato is no exception to this phenomenon. The majority of successful bands and artists the region has produced - with a few notable exceptions - have been led by men.
Organisers Lauren Kerr-Bell and Lora Thompson said they were thrilled to be part of an event that was part of a larger plan to change the game for younger musicians.
“This concert not only showcases local and national wāhine talent but also aligns with an exciting new program launching in July: The To The Front Kirikiriroa youth holiday camp.”
Running from July 15 to 19, and hosted at Wintec Te Pūkenga School of Media Arts, the programme is headed by Thompson, a musician and audio engineer with more than 20 years of experience.