Was offered media room or to pay $100 to be in the room, and I politely said no, too, based on the fact that either I pay to be there and then work, or don't get paid to work for work, neither of which sounds great to me.
Going for "fun/networking" doesn't get me any more paid work, but usually means someone with an album out soon wants to pitch it to me, or will ask me how to best do their marketing in 2024, neither of which I get paid for, or would describe as super fun for me personally in the social way I'd be hoping to spend the night.
I do want to support the artists and the event, but my eyesight sucks more than people would think, so if they place me in the back, and they always do, I don't see a thing. Livestream it is!
Re the judging academy, initially, they had deleted me from it, which was a bit of a downer, not just personally but also as a woman doing what she does among a lot of men, so I wrote them an email expressing my disappointment about that, which got me back in. Love the judging most! Comes really easy to me seeing that I spend all day, every day listening to those albums anyway, and stalk up the stats.
I'm going to be in Sydney, but I wouldn't go anyway.
I think it's telling that the acts who receive awards at the Taite Music Prize or Silver Scrolls always say 'This is the one that means something'. You don't often hear artists boasting of their AMA wins.
It's got a place, and clearly it's the commercial one that celebrates and puts a huge light on a lot of artists that not just the nerds but *the people* like, so that's alright. I'm a fan and great admirer of making music for the people, not just the nerds - that's some real magic to make music appealing to this many people, and I sure can't do it.
Anything that gets a TV station willing to as much as stream it on their website is great for the entire industry, future funding etc, surely.
I just worked at the AKL Writer's Festival for a day, paid, ha, and man, did I wish we could pull crowds like that, and have an enjoyable community event that includes anyone interested who's not in the industry. Quite amazing to observe, see ticket prices for it, and the general vibe. I'd love to see a place like Aotea Centre filled with live music interviews across all rooms, a huuuuuge merch supermarket in the foyer like they ahd with books and just good vibes. I was a bit jealous.
Yeah! I think that's the problem: it feels like an 'industry' event rather than something open to everyone to participate. If you threw a genuinely really good party and got crowds along to enjoy it, it could work on all those levels. Right now, it feels more like Fashion Week, ie, a showcase, or exhibition aimed at those already in the industry. It needs to go wider.
I remember at the big Vector arena awards, I'd chat to people and they'd be all people employed by the sponsors, or the council, and it didn't feel like industry with a lot of people working in music not invited for the sake of the corporates, so they could feel glam. Those events were open to the public, but I think a lot of tickets would be giveaways, and it was hard to get bums on seats for it.
But you're right, it's a bit like that. It would be great to have a middle ground, I mean, how cool for fans to meet artists, and artists meet fans, music, a bit of a party, but beyond a gig where it's us and them. The more people you can get to pull the same rope, the better. If people feel close to something, they might want to support it?
I felt like the writer's festival really created an argument FOR their funding by existing, and being able to say THIS many people turned up even to this dinky lil talk about [obscure subject]. There were jokes about how many people turned up for their events, vs how little funding there is for the arts, in fact.
I would always look around at the empty seats at the music awards and think, 'Why don't they pack this out?' It seemed like a no-brainer to me?
I remember one year there were even rumours that the crowds on the red carpet had been hired to make it seem busier for all the live crosses. Never confirmed it, but I could believe it...
I don't think so, I used to work at the awards (paid, except the last year I worked for them when instead of getting paid, I was ghosted at pay time but too naive/nice to go to employment relations, long story) for a few years when there were still red carpets and the excitement was genuine. I'd always go to have a look, because I love excited kids - takes me back to being a kid and how happy I was when I happened to run into a favourite artist, so I always go out to relive the vibe.
But yeah, even with super simple giveaways by major telcos, not enough bums on seats for sure.
I will consider it perfect vindication of my ongoing subscription if you post a review on May 31 and all it says is "I did [X] instead of watching. Stan Walker won all the awards."
15 years into making music successfully in NZ and I'm honestly still not what the point of these events is other than for the same musicians that we have all heard of to get together for a social event to try and win ten thousand dollars.
Personally, I have no interest in drinking with other musicians or social climbing my way through the industry in the manner that the rights organisations would like to me, and so basically these organisations only exist in an abstract manner to me. I have still yet to meet or speak with a human who works for APRA, and yet they expect to me RSVP for their events in Auckland and pay for my own travel and accommodation - why on earth would I want to do this?
None of this even touches on the nominated structure of these awards where only the people who nominate their albums are eligible for judging - give me a break, just listen to all the New Zealand music that's out and come to a conclusion, there's not much of it. We need curation and people who can actually recognise when low art transcends it's pop ambitions, in my opinion what the true function of these events should be, generic American style pop music events serve no purpose in a small economy like this.
Amen. Have you read the interview with Lontalius in the new Metro magazine? I can't remember the exact quote, and it's not online yet, but it's something like: "No one knows what they fuck they're doing anymore." He's talking about major record labels, but it could be about anyone in the industry. It really stuck with me.
I think perhaps the AMAs had a purpose, back when there was a solid media structure around it as support. Artists came out, TV and radio shows reported live from the red carpet, and there were several solid days of content to be had through our online news sites. It was definitely seen as a big deal in the newsrooms I worked in. Looking back, 2013/14 seems to have been the peak.
Now, the winners will be lucky to get even a mention on our biggest sites. Those stories won't rate, and they'll be replaced by clickbait within hours. I would much rather they had a slimmed down ceremony with fewer awards, then put on a concert, with big acts mingling with smaller ones. Sell tickets cheaply, get the public in to fill out the venue, make it a genuine celebration of the Aotearoa music spectrum.
Otherwise, it's kind of like New Zealand Music Month: why are we doing this still?
The process by which artists are included in nominations sounds like a process by which they might become a Freemason - something my father once hilariously told me I need not worry he would ever become, " You have to nominate yourself " Reassuring words indeed.
The best thing I ever saw at the NZMA was a pre-show interview with Emily Edrosa who was utterly downbeat about the whole thing, embarrassingly so, and it was only after watching what followed that I realised she was the only honest person in the room. Respect.
Lunch is great.
Check out this brill remix of Fortnight by DJ Earworm. Makes sense - if you imagine these are Bernard Summer lyrics they're so much better. The only thing wrong with it is, it's far catchier than the original.
Was offered media room or to pay $100 to be in the room, and I politely said no, too, based on the fact that either I pay to be there and then work, or don't get paid to work for work, neither of which sounds great to me.
Going for "fun/networking" doesn't get me any more paid work, but usually means someone with an album out soon wants to pitch it to me, or will ask me how to best do their marketing in 2024, neither of which I get paid for, or would describe as super fun for me personally in the social way I'd be hoping to spend the night.
I do want to support the artists and the event, but my eyesight sucks more than people would think, so if they place me in the back, and they always do, I don't see a thing. Livestream it is!
Re the judging academy, initially, they had deleted me from it, which was a bit of a downer, not just personally but also as a woman doing what she does among a lot of men, so I wrote them an email expressing my disappointment about that, which got me back in. Love the judging most! Comes really easy to me seeing that I spend all day, every day listening to those albums anyway, and stalk up the stats.
$100?!?
I'm going to be in Sydney, but I wouldn't go anyway.
I think it's telling that the acts who receive awards at the Taite Music Prize or Silver Scrolls always say 'This is the one that means something'. You don't often hear artists boasting of their AMA wins.
It's got a place, and clearly it's the commercial one that celebrates and puts a huge light on a lot of artists that not just the nerds but *the people* like, so that's alright. I'm a fan and great admirer of making music for the people, not just the nerds - that's some real magic to make music appealing to this many people, and I sure can't do it.
Anything that gets a TV station willing to as much as stream it on their website is great for the entire industry, future funding etc, surely.
I just worked at the AKL Writer's Festival for a day, paid, ha, and man, did I wish we could pull crowds like that, and have an enjoyable community event that includes anyone interested who's not in the industry. Quite amazing to observe, see ticket prices for it, and the general vibe. I'd love to see a place like Aotea Centre filled with live music interviews across all rooms, a huuuuuge merch supermarket in the foyer like they ahd with books and just good vibes. I was a bit jealous.
Yeah! I think that's the problem: it feels like an 'industry' event rather than something open to everyone to participate. If you threw a genuinely really good party and got crowds along to enjoy it, it could work on all those levels. Right now, it feels more like Fashion Week, ie, a showcase, or exhibition aimed at those already in the industry. It needs to go wider.
I remember at the big Vector arena awards, I'd chat to people and they'd be all people employed by the sponsors, or the council, and it didn't feel like industry with a lot of people working in music not invited for the sake of the corporates, so they could feel glam. Those events were open to the public, but I think a lot of tickets would be giveaways, and it was hard to get bums on seats for it.
But you're right, it's a bit like that. It would be great to have a middle ground, I mean, how cool for fans to meet artists, and artists meet fans, music, a bit of a party, but beyond a gig where it's us and them. The more people you can get to pull the same rope, the better. If people feel close to something, they might want to support it?
I felt like the writer's festival really created an argument FOR their funding by existing, and being able to say THIS many people turned up even to this dinky lil talk about [obscure subject]. There were jokes about how many people turned up for their events, vs how little funding there is for the arts, in fact.
I would always look around at the empty seats at the music awards and think, 'Why don't they pack this out?' It seemed like a no-brainer to me?
I remember one year there were even rumours that the crowds on the red carpet had been hired to make it seem busier for all the live crosses. Never confirmed it, but I could believe it...
I don't think so, I used to work at the awards (paid, except the last year I worked for them when instead of getting paid, I was ghosted at pay time but too naive/nice to go to employment relations, long story) for a few years when there were still red carpets and the excitement was genuine. I'd always go to have a look, because I love excited kids - takes me back to being a kid and how happy I was when I happened to run into a favourite artist, so I always go out to relive the vibe.
But yeah, even with super simple giveaways by major telcos, not enough bums on seats for sure.
I will consider it perfect vindication of my ongoing subscription if you post a review on May 31 and all it says is "I did [X] instead of watching. Stan Walker won all the awards."
I mean, it writes itself, doesn't it?
Such a great photo.
Should I post the Jaime Ridge one? Ten likes and I’ll do it!
15 years into making music successfully in NZ and I'm honestly still not what the point of these events is other than for the same musicians that we have all heard of to get together for a social event to try and win ten thousand dollars.
Personally, I have no interest in drinking with other musicians or social climbing my way through the industry in the manner that the rights organisations would like to me, and so basically these organisations only exist in an abstract manner to me. I have still yet to meet or speak with a human who works for APRA, and yet they expect to me RSVP for their events in Auckland and pay for my own travel and accommodation - why on earth would I want to do this?
None of this even touches on the nominated structure of these awards where only the people who nominate their albums are eligible for judging - give me a break, just listen to all the New Zealand music that's out and come to a conclusion, there's not much of it. We need curation and people who can actually recognise when low art transcends it's pop ambitions, in my opinion what the true function of these events should be, generic American style pop music events serve no purpose in a small economy like this.
Amen. Have you read the interview with Lontalius in the new Metro magazine? I can't remember the exact quote, and it's not online yet, but it's something like: "No one knows what they fuck they're doing anymore." He's talking about major record labels, but it could be about anyone in the industry. It really stuck with me.
I think perhaps the AMAs had a purpose, back when there was a solid media structure around it as support. Artists came out, TV and radio shows reported live from the red carpet, and there were several solid days of content to be had through our online news sites. It was definitely seen as a big deal in the newsrooms I worked in. Looking back, 2013/14 seems to have been the peak.
Now, the winners will be lucky to get even a mention on our biggest sites. Those stories won't rate, and they'll be replaced by clickbait within hours. I would much rather they had a slimmed down ceremony with fewer awards, then put on a concert, with big acts mingling with smaller ones. Sell tickets cheaply, get the public in to fill out the venue, make it a genuine celebration of the Aotearoa music spectrum.
Otherwise, it's kind of like New Zealand Music Month: why are we doing this still?
NB: Organisers have pointed out that changes have been made to the judging panel, which I wasn't aware of when writing this piece.
The full list is available here: https://aotearoamusicawards.nz/news/refreshed-judging-process-results-in-largest-ama-judging-group-ever
They include:
* A bigger Judging Academy than ever before – 379 people completed judging, compared to 205 in 2022
* Gender representation – nearly 45% of the judging group identify as female, non-binary or gender diverse
* Māori representation – nearly one quarter of judges whakapapa Māori
* Nearly one third of the judges are under the age of 35
* Nearly 40% of the judges are artists
The process by which artists are included in nominations sounds like a process by which they might become a Freemason - something my father once hilariously told me I need not worry he would ever become, " You have to nominate yourself " Reassuring words indeed.
Rubinstein said it best, I think.
https://youtu.be/l4KwuAytCvY?feature=shared
The best thing I ever saw at the NZMA was a pre-show interview with Emily Edrosa who was utterly downbeat about the whole thing, embarrassingly so, and it was only after watching what followed that I realised she was the only honest person in the room. Respect.
Lunch is great.
Check out this brill remix of Fortnight by DJ Earworm. Makes sense - if you imagine these are Bernard Summer lyrics they're so much better. The only thing wrong with it is, it's far catchier than the original.
https://x.com/i/status/1781336680005337191