Today marks the start of TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA 2025, with the NZ Music Commission also marking its 25th year of NZ Music Month festivities across Aotearoa.

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The month of May will shine a light on those who are the heartbeat of our nation’s music scene, celebrating everyone in the industry – behind, in front, beside and all around the mics and amps, who help develop, create and amplify music from Aotearoa, locally and internationally.

This year’s 25th edition of TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA will see a range of artist releases, gigs and events highlighting new and emerging talent as well as established recording artists and performers showcasing their talent and work here, across the motu and overseas.

Cath Andersen, NZ Music Commission, says: “NZ Music Month | Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa is an opportunity to highlight our incredible artists and the music community right across the country. This month is all about supporting the local music scene – streaming local, seeing local and buying local. With over 500 events and nearly 100 releases registered so far, there is truly something for everyone – and the list is growing every day.”

The Hawkes Bay Music Gala will see the official launch of NZ Music Month kick off at the Opera House stage at Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre in Hastings. A celebration of the region’s musical talents and champions, hosted by the Backline Charitable Trust and the Hawke’s Bay Music Hub, there will be performances by local artists, including rising stars Liberty and Molly Pawson, and an award ceremony acknowledging local industry heroes. Prior to the evening’s festivities, also in Toitoi, Independent Music NZ has Going Local – an upskilling seminar and networking session providing attendees with an array of tools to immerse themselves in the music industry. Panellists include staff from NZ On Air, Recorded Music NZ, NZ Music Commission, APRA AMCOS and Independent Music NZ.

NZ Music Month also hits the streets with OUTPLAY, a campaign celebrating artists such as Kaylee Bell, Princess Chelsea, Alien Weaponry and LEISURE who are succeeding internationally and getting local Kiwi audiences to match their success by ‘outplaying’ the great streaming numbers that they have in cities around the globe.

Te Marama Puoro o Aotearoa will be across the airwaves as well, with radio stations all over the country planning events and promotions to celebrate both new and legendary tunes.

The first day of the month will be a momentous occasion for kiwi musician Marlon Williams (Kāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai) who releases his film ‘Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua – Two Worlds’. The documentary film follows his exploration and journey to create his first te reo Māori language album Te Whare Tīwekaweka and will be showing in cinemas nationwide.

Down in Wānaka, industry event YAMI Sounz Summit celebrates its 10th year of operation on the first weekend of May. Already sold-out, the jam-packed two days of workshops and seminars will include artists such as Gin Wigmore, Barnaby Weir, Tom Scott, Laughton Kora and many more plus industry experts and organisations. Each day concludes with a concert; the second day including the participants performing alongside the musicians they have been working with.

The launch of the iconic Smokefree Rockquest & Showquest competitions for 2025 will occur on May 7. Held at Parliament’s Grand Hall – the event will feature performances from Rockquest alumni Georgia Lines and Troy Kingi, as well as last years’ Rockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats winners TopShelf and Emerson, and previous Showquest and Rockshop Bandquest National winners, Rangikura School.

There are around sixty local singles on the slate for May – including fresh emerging artists and some re-releases of classic kiwi tunes. We are also expecting over 25 albums or EPs by Aotearoa artists to drop in the coming month, so there will be lots of good reasons to pay a visit to your local record store and pick up some shiny new pieces for your home collection.

Beyond The Beat is a special project reimagining recent hits with emerging stars which will be revealed on the evening of Thursday 1 May. Some of those artists will also be taking part in the Mussicians Mentoring in Schools programme – an initiative set up by the NZ Music Commission – all around Aotearoa. The programme has long seen success through exposing our youth to powerful voices in the music industry, this year through the likes of Laughton Kora, Mazbou Q, Jimmy Christmas, Jazmine Mary, Rodney Fisher and Annie Crummer who take part to help grow our future generations in music.

We’ll also see an Aotearoa takeover in the UK throughout mid May with The Great Escape Festival occurring on May 14-17th. That same week will see nine kiwi music performances throughout London, including shows by NO CIGAR, Drax Project, Borderline and CHAII.

The team at NZMM have just launched a brand new Gig Guide – sortable by region, dates, all ages shows and more. Included in the 500+ entries so far is a huge programme of free events from Auckland City, kicking off with Opera in the Strand and running right throughout the month; The Way of Waiata at Featherston Book Town Festival featuring Anika Moa, Warren Maxwell and Ria Hall; NZ Music Month at The Stomach in Palmerston North kicking off with Palmy Punk Fest; Fly My Pretties first Auckland shows in five years for the release of Elemental, the seventh album by the collective; the launch of the book “Eyeliner’s BUY NOW” by Michael Brown in the 33 1/3 Oceania series in Wellington; Thursday Nights Live at Sky City featuring acts including JessB, Hollie Smith, Julia Deans, Brandn Shiraz and more; the Tussock Country Music Festival featuring over 70 events, including the prestigious Country Music Honors Ceremony in Gore; and public library NZMM event series are happening in Nelson, Tākaka, Wellington, Christchurch, the Waimakariri district, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Palmerston North – with more being announced all the time!

From the fourth annual Kaitaia Metal Fest in the Far North to NZ Music Month Open Mic Nights at the Southland Musicians Club – and every region in between – whether you’re into shredding guitars or string quartets, there are live music shows for everyone’s taste this May.

Closing out the month with a bang will be two of NZ Music Month’s most coveted events, The Aotearoa Music Awards and NZ Music T-Shirt Day. This year’s AMAs on May 29th marks 60 years of its operation and will see all nominees in one room to celebrate this past year’s achievements. NZ Music T-Shirt Day encourages Kiwi’s to wear their favourite artist or band tees on May 30th to show support to the incredible charity MusicHelps by donating to their appeal. The charity uses the power of music to change the lives of thousands of New Zealanders in need. Get involved and register a team here.

TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA is run by the NZ Music Commission, with support from APRA AMCOS, Creative New Zealand, Independent Music NZ, Independent Music Venues Aotearoa, the Māori Music Industry Collective, MusicHelps, the Music Managers Forum, Music Production Guild NZ Aotearoa, NZ On Air, OneMusic, Recorded Music NZ, SoundCheck Aotearoa, SOUNZ and Te Māngai Pāho. The purpose of TE MARAMA PUORO O AOTEAROA is to celebrate music from New Zealand, and the people who make it.

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