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Moderator: Cushla Aston

Moderator: Cushla Aston

Cushla Aston, of Tainui and Te Arawa descent, is the founder of Aston Rd, a boutique Artist Management company managing Louis Baker, alongside music management consultation and special projects. With an extensive history in marketing and sales in the events and hospitality sector, both in New Zealand and the UK, her transition into the music industry was a natural extension of her skills. Since joining the NZ Music industry in 2011 after a decade in the UK, she has worked with notable New Zealand artists such as Fat Freddy’s Drop, Julia Deans, Kora and Trinity Roots. In 2012 Cushla won ‘Upcoming Manager of the Year’ and was a finalist for ‘Manager of the Year’ in 2015 and 2021. 

Moderator: Sarah Thomson

Moderator: Sarah Thomson

If it was released in the last twenty years, there's a middling chance that someone within the media of Aotearoa may have allowed Sarah to: programme the music video; introduce the live-to-air; write inches about the album; playlist the single; and/or interview the bass player. Sorry about that. With a background that includes stints in music television, screenwriting, radio programming, music journalism and television puppetry, Sarah is currently the Music Funding Advisor at NZ On Air.

Abigail Knudson

Abigail Knudson

MISSY (aka writer-producer Abigail Knudson) delivers a distinctive, idiosyncratic blend of electro-baroque goth-pop. As one reviewer commented: “If Kate Bush and Brian Eno had a baby, it would be MISSY.” MISSY has released three albums to date: 2022’s Total Nightmare, and the twin-album release, Major Arcana and Minor Arcana (2021). The albums follow-up her critically acclaimed EP (Strange, 2019). She regularly features on Spotify editorial playlists, and the single Dark Side is currently the most popular with Spotify listeners with over 700,000 streams.

Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau

Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau

Ninakaye has managed her younger brother, high-profile artist and producer Tiki Taane, as well as his companies, trust, and record label since 2007. She mentors managers and artists via the  Music Managers Forum Aotearoa and is also a Board Member, as well as a Board Member of Soundcheck Aotearoa. An executive member of the Māori Music Industry Coalition, Ninakaye is hugely proactive about creating positive change within the Aotearoa Music Industry and community.

Anna Duckworth

Anna Duckworth

Anna is a firm leader who worked in film and television for almost a decade, in both NYC and Auckland. Anna has written and directed several short films including PAIN screened as part of 2020 NZIFF‚ NZ Best’s Programme, and MUM JEANS which screened at the 2018 NZIFF. PAIN has gone on to be selected at Busan International Film Festival, AspenShorts, Stockholm International Film Festival and Bogot√° Short Film Festival.

Reshma Martin

Reshma Martin

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Reshma followed her roots to kick-start her creative pursuits and quickly made a splash in the country of over 32 million, appearing as a teenager in the final season of hit Malaysian reality singing competition, "Akademi Fantasia", in which she placed third. She was the only female minority representing her ethnic group to ever compete on the show in its 13-season entirety, and became a figurehead of unity and change in the local entertainment industry.

Melanie Calvesbert

Melanie Calvesbert

Mel was born, grew up and lives in Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington). She is Pākehā and in October 2022, made the leap to self employment. The primary focus of her work is working alongside communities and organisations as they seek to both respond well and prevent all forms of sexual harm including sexual harassment in workplaces and child sexual abuse.