The 23 projects were selected from a field of 150 applications.

There are 16 $10,000 grants for recording a song and making a music video to back up the release of the song and 7 $6,000 grants for making a music video only.

This is the sixth of 10 MakingTracks funding rounds for the 2015-2016 financial year. So far, we have had 794 songs submitted and we have funded 135 projects.

"It was my 46th Making Tracks funding round and it’s my last”, said NZ On Air Music Manager, Brendan Smyth who is retiring at the end of this month. “Over that time, we have heard some amazing songs by some very cool artists and worked with some wonderful panel people and yesterday was no exception. It has been a privilege.”

Decisions are based on the broadcast, music and audience merits of the songs that have been submitted, judged by a panel of broadcasting and music professionals.

The list of 23 projects funded in the February round is as follows:

(a) Funding of up to $10,000 for each of the following 16 MakingTracks projects in the February 2016 round, comprising up to $4,000 for recording a song and $6,000 for making a music video of that same song:

• Boyboy / Vices
• Cavalcade / Dead In The Water
• Cymbol 303 / Slipping featuring Tamagotchii
• Finlay Tate / Control
• indi. / Precipice
• Jesse Sheehan / Droplets
• Ladi6 / Beffy
• Louis Baker / Fade
• Mae Valley / Glitter
• Miss June / Anxiety On Repeat
• Nomad / Oh My My
• Shapeshifter / Stars
• So Below / Far
• The Upbeats / Ultraviolet featuring Mara TK
• Will Slugger / Waterslide
• Yumi Zouma / Keep It Close To Me

(b) Funding of $6,000 for each of the following 7 MakingTracks projects in the February 2016 round, being funding for making a music video only:

• Denelle / The Lights
• Great Danes / Where The Down Bit Starts featuring Kimbra
• Nadia Reid / Reaching Through
• Opiuo / Sneakers
• Orchestra Of Spheres / Trapdoors
• Silence The City / Voices
• Wallace / Negroni Eyes

The February Making Tracks Panel was:

David Brice [iHeartRadio, NZME; Auckland]
Janine Russell [Noise PR; Auckland]
Jeff Newton [NZ On Air; Auckland]
Pennie Blair [95 bFM, Auckland]
Simon Gooding [Record Producer; Wellington]
Will Maisey [More FM; Auckland]
Zac Arnold [Music 101, RNZ National; Auckland]
The next MakingTracks funding round closes at 5.00pm on Tuesday 01 March 2016.

Source: NZ On Air
Originally released: 26/02/2016