Kiwi Kids Music are taking their presence to the world as they boast yet another string of successes within the collective; this time with not one, but two finalists to represent NZ in the International Songwriting Competition.
The collective, which was founded in 2015 by some of NZ’s most iconic children’s personalities, including children’s television presenter Suzy Cato and songwriter Arthur Baysting now boasts over 100 strong line up of NZ’s best kid’s artists. “We’re delighted to be able to show the world the talent we have here in NZ,” says a very proud Suzy.
“We had 5 Kiwi songwriters make it through to the semi-finals of this competition, so it really showcases the high level of new music for tamariki we’re releasing here in Aotearoa”, she said. Finalists Anna van Riel and Rich Manic are absolutely thrilled to be amongst the 2% who made it through as finalists.
“Apparently over 19,000 songwriters entered the overall competition, so to make it into the finals is pretty fantastic”, says Wanaka artist Anna van Riel. Her track Throw out the Grain was chosen from her album release Fishing for Stars. Which was released in November.
Rich Manic, AKA Captain Festus McBoyle, confessed he was particularly pleased he listened to the advice of his wife, Miss Lucy Drawers, who suggested he enter the competition with The Little Things, a track from his soon-to-be-released album Bubbles n’ Squeek, due out this April.
Manic and van Riel were also successful recipients of NZ on Air funding last year to create music videos for their children’s songs. Children’s performers Kath Bee (Nelson) and Levity Beet (Takaka) made it into the semi-finals with their environmentally focused No More Plastic Bags, along with songwriter and children’s author Chris Saunders for his song 111, Call the Ambulance.
The finalist songs have now gone to the judges with an outcome expected in early April. Music lovers can also support artists by judging daily in the children’s section of the People’s Vote which closes April 3rd. Every vote counts so be sure to get behind our clever Kiwi artists.