​As part of our Tautua programme, the Pacific Music Awards Trust works with Rockquest Promotions who produce the secondary schools music competition Tangata Beats.  To support the event and mentor students, the Trust provides mentors for the national finalists of Tangata Beats.  The PMA mentors were partnered with different finalists, and were to provide support when the finalists when they were in the studio recording.  The mentoring was to provide support with the recording process and the experience of being in professional recording studio.  We had confirmed mentors and sessions had begun, but were interrupted due to the Covid-19 lockdown in Auckland.

​Organisations from across the Aotearoa music community have announced the creation of a new action group SoundCheck Aotearoa, with the aim of developing a safe and inclusive culture in the music community.  Our Pacific Music Awards Trust is supporting this collective voice and movement.
 
As part of our support, the Trust worked with Sounds Aotearoa to organise a fono for the Pacific music community, which was held on 4 August, which was held at 312 Hub (Onehunga, Auckland)

​This workshop was held with APRA on Wednesday 9 June 2021, as part of our workshop series.  We invited NZ On Air representatives to join us to speak about the New Music Pasifika funding, which was the focus for the workshop.  The workshop date was planned to time with the next funding deadline, which was 8 July – with the NZ On Air reps outlining the details for the New Music Pasifika funding, for those who have received funding or were looking to apply.  This funding is for Pacific artists with up to $10,000 available for an unreleased song - to contribute to the costs of recording the song, the creation of video content, and the promotion of the song. 
 
Representatives from APRA also provided information about their new Writer Portal and app; and were available to answer any membership questions; and the Pacific Music Awards Trust will share details about their next workshops and the 2021 Pacific Music Awards.
 
The workshop was also made available via live stream on the night through APRA’s facebook page. 

​Held on Tuesday 13 April, the Music Managers Forum and the Pacific Music Awards Trust partnered to present a music industry workshop.  for the Pacific music community.  Held at 312 Hub (Onehunga, Auckland), with the speakers being Mike Hall from APRA, Dean Cameron from Recorded Music, Andy Low from DRM – along with Tana Tupa’I and Avina Kelekolio from Tomorrow People.  Each speaker shared information about their organisations and services, and sharing their own experiences – particularly covering how to earn income from your music.

​NZ On Air continued and extended the New Music Pasifika funding, with two rounds provided in 2021.    The Pacific Music Awards Trust and Pacific Media Network worked with NZ On Air for this funding, in particular to provide assistance with publicising the funding round and reaching out to engage the Pacific music community. The Trust works further with NZ On Air to provide additional support to the recipients – which includes mentoring with the Trust and MMF.
 
Our Trust understands and values the important contribution of this funding, and the impact it will have for the Pacific music community and NZ music industry.   We acknowledge and thank NZ On Air for their ongoing support.


The January Round for New Music Pasifika, confirmed 24 artists to receive funding.  The recipients were:   Adam Snow ‘Maybe Lean’, Diggy Dupé ‘Nesian’, Disciple Pati ‘Serious’, Elias ‘Don't Stop’, Ezra Phoenix ‘Oxygen Tank’, Hawkins ‘Lost Ones’, Kenzie From Welly Ft Poetik ‘No Hype’, La Coco ‘Gone’, Lani Alo        ‘Tua i manū’, Liana Frangipani ‘Crusin' Part 1’, LIVELY ‘Climbing’, Mikey Mayz ‘Lost’, Noah ‘Dancing in the Sun’, OZKI BAND ‘Si Ona Paopao’,  Ponifasio Samoa & Junior Soqeta   ‘Can't Wait’, Samson Squad ‘Kiaku (To Me)’,  Soul Brown Ft. Kabin Bread Boyz ‘Fire’, TREE ft Junior Soqeta      ‘No Fear’, Vallé feat. STNDRD ‘675’,  Victor J Sefo ‘My Baby’, Wayno ‘Tautunu’.
 
The July Round for New Music Pasifika, confirmed 21 artists to receive funding.  The recipients were:  Adeaze feat. Tone 6 ‘Walk Into The Light’, A.R.T. ‘Runner Up’, Brothers Lord ‘We Ain't Gotta Rush’, Chong-Nee ‘Music’, Denzel ‘Perfect’, Ezra Phoenix ‘Storm’, Foundation (All Sta mix feat Israel Starr, Lomez Brown, Leon Davey, Lion Rezz) ‘Closer’, Jordyn with a Why ‘Brown Melodies’, Junior Soqeta ‘Time Goes On’, Lepani ‘Take Me Home’, Love is King ‘Darling Ea’, MEL ‘You'll Never Know’, Moana Leota ‘Not Done Loving’, Mo Etc ‘Next October’, Pati Umaga ‘Pepeve'a’, Siavani ‘Think About It’, SNARE ‘Leia Se Paga’, Three Houses Down ‘The Dream’, TJ Taotua ‘Overdue’, Tree ‘Tupulaga Samoa’, Village 90 ‘Say a Word’.

​The Pacific Music Awards Trust proudly co-presented the Music in Parks event, Music in Parks Mangere – Family’, with Auckland Council on Saturday 23 January 2021.  This featured performances from recent Pacific Music Awards finalists and winners and artists from Stand Up Stand Out and the day will celebrate all things Pacific music. 
 
The artists performing at Music in Parks will collectively represent the artists and genres honoured at the Pacific Music Awards.   They were Silika Isaia (former SUSO artist), LaCoco (2019 PMA finalist), Lepani (2020 PMA finalist), Tree (2019 PMA finalist), Church & AP (2020 PMA winner).
 
We were grateful to have this chance to further celebrate our PMA artists and to provide our community with an amazing live showcase of Pacific music. It also gave us all the chance to collectively celebrate Pacific music and share a community family day together.

​APRA and the Pacific Music Awards Trust confirmed they are partnering to present a workshop series to discuss important issues for songwriters/composers in regards to their rights, royalty income and music licensing.  The first workshop was held Wednesday 18 November, at the APRA office, with APRA representatives sharing details of their services and providing answers to the questions raised.  Through the workshop series we hope to :
 
 

• Build bridge between Pacific artists/songwriters/composers/producers and APRA
• Provide connection and community between the PMA artists and APRA
• Build positive relationships
• Increase knowledge and understanding of APRA
• Increase knowledge of copyright issues – rights of songwriters/composers

 
(nb:  the impact of Covid-19, had paused plans for other workshops earlier in the year)

​NZ On Air held the second ever New Music Pasifika round in May 2020, seeking new music from Pasifika artists.  NZ On Air doubled-down on the investment, with funding confirmed for 24 artists and tracks, from the 95 applications received, almost twice the amount received for the inaugural round. Each artist will receive $8,000 funding to record and promote their songs.  The funded songs span multiple genre including Hip Hop, Gospel, RnB, Heavy Metal and Country music, with languages represented including Niuean, Tongan, Cook Island Māori and Samoan, as well as English. For 19 of the artists it is their first time receiving NZ On Air funding. 

The Pacific Music Awards Trust and Pacific Media Network were partners with NZ On Air, working to provide assist with publicising the funding round and reaching out to engage the Pacific music community.  Our Trust understands and values the important contribution this support will make to the Pacific music community and NZ music industry.  

The 24 artists confirmed for this funding are as follows:

Alimit ‘Inanay – The Tribute featuring Jagarizzar x Tiddas’, ANTHEM ‘Joy featuring Marley Sola & David Ware’, Diggy Dupé ‘Hype’, Foundation ‘Start Love Over’, Hawkins ‘Can’t Leave It Alone’, IYBZEE & IYBZAY Does She Really Want Me?’, JARNA ‘I’m Fine’, Juwan ‘Home’, LEO MerryGoRound, Lomez Brown ‘Feel The Motion’, MAL ‘Say/Ne Pehe Mai’, Raggadat Cris / Foki Mai, Sam V X bKIDD ‘Cruisin’, Samson Squad ‘Taku Vaine’, Sapphire Matāfai ‘Dilemma’, SEMA ‘Real’, Shepherds Reign ‘Aiga (Toe Fo’i)’, Tazman Jack ‘Myself’, THE MITIS ‘See You Again’, TJ Taotua ‘You and I’, TONE6 ‘Another Level of Emotion’, Tree ‘Afio Ane Loa’, Village90 ‘To the Wire’, VILLETTE ‘Angle’.

​NZ On Air, announced the inaugural New Music Pasifika focus round at the end of 2018, with applications due early 2019.  This was the result of research that identified gaps in public media content, the need for more diverse local content and to reach under-served audiences.    This was an amazing opportunity for Pacific artists to secure financial support to record a single, produce a video and also promotion costs.   

From the 51 applications received, the following 14 artists were confirmed to receive the funding:  Diggy Dupe, ‘CI’, Disciple Pati, ‘The Boy Who Cried Woman’, Emily Muli, ‘No More’, La Coco, ‘Back When’, Lani Alo, ‘Alo I ou Faiva’, Mikey Mayz, ‘Wild People’, Queen Shirl’e, ‘Queens Rise Up’, Raze ft Poetik, ‘Another Lover’, Shepherds Reign, ‘Legend’, Snare, ‘Fuso Gumz’, Swiss ft DJ Noiz & JSQZE, ‘Island Kings’, Tazman Jack, ‘Eyes Closed’, Tommy Nee, ‘Criminal Minds’, Truce, ‘Faded’.

The NZ On Air funding was supported by the Pacific Music Awards Trust and Pacific Media Network, to promote applications and also provide workshops to support the process.

​The Pacific Music Awards Trust were asked by Stand Up Stand Out (S.U.S.O), Auckland Council’s secondary school music competition, to provide PMA artists as mentors.  The mentors were selected and asked to provide the mentoring sessions for all of the musician and vocalists, confirmed as finalists for S.U.S.O.  One-on-one mentoring provided to the finalists, by PMA artists - providing performance feedback, along with encouragement and motivation - to assist with their preparation for the SUSO finals.   S.U.S.O is an Auckland Council event, with the finalist mentoring sessions taking place  at OMAC, in August, in the weekends leading up to the public live finals event.  The artists confirmed as mentors for 2019 were:  Tommy Nee and Nastassia Wolfgramm.