A new music portal to help artists build their audiences was launched this month.

The brainchild behind AllTracks, NZ On Air assistant music manager Sarah Crowe, tells us how the curated playlists will help people explore NZ music.

The curators, all passionate about one of the seven genres they’ve been chosen for, are hand-picking the music selections through Youtube, Spotify or Soundcloud. 

She says after researching how music needs and platforms were changing in this country, AllTracks was born to meet the listening habits of people in New Zealand and overseas.

During what hours of the day do you feel most inspired?

I feel most inspired when I can get some time alone in my studio. This is either early in the morning before work for a bit of quiet time before the day starts, or at the end of the day after dinner for a few hours. Most of my inspiration comes at night.

How would a good friend describe your aesthetic or style? 

My good friend told me that I “have a contemporary eye and a timeless look.” Which basically means I wear a lot of black! I love natural fibres, and different textures. I buy NZ made where possible. I prefer to buy a few pieces every season and wear them for years.

What aspect of your creative practice gives you the biggest thrill?

Working at NZ On Air, I come in contact with creatives every day. My biggest thrill is watching how projects progress from application for funding through to finished projects. We have so many talented creatives in this country I am constantly blown away by the talent of musicians and directors that I come across in my work.

How does your environment affect your work?

I have a varied working environment, as I travel a lot between our Wellington and Auckland offices, getting out to other parts of the country when we can. Getting out and meeting with people is an aspect of my job which I enjoy. In saying that I also have a large component of office work too! I am lucky as even though we have an open plan office, I have my own corner to hide away in, and if I have a lot to get through you will find me there with my headphones on and music blaring.

Do you like to look at the big picture or focus on the details?

I like to look at both. I will start with the bigger picture, then work out the steps on how we can get there. Once we have our projects sorted, I do focus on the details. I am someone who likes to know that the project is going to work and how it is going to work before it launches! Recently I have completed a few projects that have included web development. Details are especially important here.

What's your number one business tip for surviving (and thriving) in the creative industries?

Work hard and don’t spend all that you earn. Keep money aside for developing new ideas. If you have to borrow to create then it starts you off on the back foot. Believe in yourself and practice practice practice!

Which of your projects to date has given you the most satisfaction?

The Bring It Home Initiative. It is a project where we partner with local councils where they offer top up funding for those who have received MakingTracks grants. This was in response to the fact that we weren’t getting a lot of projects made outside of the main centres, and really wanted to showcase other parts of the country and the talent that is available there. Our first council is Porirua and we are in discussions with others.

Who or what has inspired you recently?

I am lucky enough to have a number of inspirational women in my life. Two that instantly come to mind are Bex Brent from Willis York, who is my constant source of inspiration! She is always striving to do something that pushes boundaries. The other is my dear friend Sandra Bogart who was diagnosed with Leukemia two weeks ago and her outlook on the diagnosis is humbling and truly inspirational. Live life and tell people you love them!

Tell us how you came up with the idea for AllTracks?

It came from a project that we did with Eveline van der Steen, who is a digital music specialist based between Amsterdam and here. We were updating our music strategy and wanted to get a perspective on our industry from someone that had worked in a high level digital music company internationally. She came and worked with us for two months looking at all aspects of the NZ Music industry and what we do to support it. She left us with a number of suggestions that we took through into our new strategy. Genre playlists which became AllTracks was something that she identified as a way for us to help artists build their audiences, as well as making it easy for Kiwis to find NZ music.

What are the various ways that NZOA now supports musicians and how does AllTracks fit into that framework?

We are mostly known as a funding body, where we fund NZ content (songs and videos) for NZ audiences (on TV, Radio and Online).

However the music team has a slightly different brief to the rest of NZ On Air where we have a two-part mandate, to fund content, and also to help get that music in front of an audience in the form of promotion.

Funding wise – we have the MakingTracks scheme where we fund singles and videos. Promotions wise - we fund Music Programs across a number of channels that have an audience – Commercial radio, Alt Radio, Music Television.  We also sponsor all of the major music awards and provide prizes in the form of grants.
AllTracks is part of promotions and is our first online promotions activity.

We will look to build on AllTracks as it goes on, changing our curators, having guest curators, and potentially increasing the number of playlists. We are always looking for opportunities online to reach good sized NZ Audiences.

What’s with the grandmother and the small children?

We wanted to get the message across that AllTracks is for everyone. Even your grannie! The children are dressed to represent the 7 genres of music that are currently playlisted on the AllTracks site.

If you could go back and choose a completely different career path to the one you've chosen, what would it be?

I was thinking about this the other day! I have decided that I am going to be a florist next. After I get sick of music!

What place is always with you, wherever you go?

Kakanui. It is a small town between Oamaru and Moeraki. Where we are lucky enough to still have a family bach. I have been going there my whole life. It has a wonderful surf beach and river, and is still one of the few places you can still go and light a bonfire! It is the best place to have some peace and quiet.

What's the best way to listen to music, and why?

This is so individual! I don’t actually have any one best way to listen personally, you name it I have it! I have a sonos system at home, with a whole host of streaming apps on it, as well as CD’s and tapes! But if I had to choose I would probably say, the best way is with some close friends, a bottle of red and vinyl. There is something lovely about listening to an album in its entirety in analogue.

You are given a piece of string, a stick and some fabric. What do you make?

I recently did a natural dyeing course with the legendary India Flint, using plants to colour fabric. I would use the stick and string to bundle dye the fabric – I would take the stick and wrap the fabric around it with the string (I would add some native leaves in here too) and then I would boil it.

What's the best stress relief advice you've ever been given?

Take some time for yourself at the beginning of the day and meditate on what you want to achieve.

What’s your big idea for 2015?

My big idea for 2015 is to continue to build on AllTracks and to help more NZ’rs listen to more great music from NZ.

What changes have you noticed in the music industry in the past 10 years?

So much has changed in the music industry, most noticeably the change in format from physical to digital and now from digital to streaming. It is increasingly easy to make music and increasingly difficult to get noticed in the overwhelming amount of music that is available.

At the same time I am excited by these changes. Artists now for the first time in history have a direct relationship with their fans, and they have so much information available through socials and streaming – they can at any time see who is listening, where they are listening, what they like. Harnessed in the right way, it can form a great way to plan tours, fund album releases, gain sponsorship and other potential revenue streams.

What are some of the opportunities and challenges for the next decade?

A big challenge for us in the broadcasting area is keeping up with the technology changes! I wish I had a crystal ball. Opportunities are endless, especially around collaboration between industries. I think there is a lot to learn from other sectors.

* * *

AllTracks is funded by NZ On Air, as part of its push to ensure NZ music can be discovered on all the main online music platforms.

The curators will change from time to time, but those who are kicking off the site with their playlists are:

• Alt & Indie – Charlotte Ryan ( NZ Music & media specialist)
• Dance & Electronic – Dan Aux (DJ, musician and Programme Director at George FM)
• Folk & Country – RDU 98.5 Fm (Christchurch)
• Hip Hop & R & B – DJ Manchoo (renowned DJ & music director at Flava)
• Pop – Jamie McDell (Top 10 artist)
• Reggae & Roots – Barnaby Weir (The Black Seeds, Fly My Pretties)
• Rock & Metal – Bryce Casey (host on The Rock)