Independent Music NZ Announces TAITE MUSIC PRIZE IMNZ CLASSIC RECORD 2025 (2025)

Rāpere/Thursday,26 Poutū-te-rangi/March, 2025

IndependentMusic NZ (IMNZ) is thrilled to announce the finalists forthe 2025 Auckland Live Best Independent DebutAward, the recipient of the IMNZ ClassicRecord, and the finalists for the NZ On AirOutstanding Music Journalism Award.

TheAuckland Live Best Independent Debut Award celebratesAotearoa’s most promising emerging talent. The winner willreceive a $2,000 cash prize, a performance or technicalupskilling opportunity courtesy of AucklandLive, and, new for 2025, a $1,200 studio recordingpackage from Parachute Studios—furtherdemonstrating IMNZ’s dedication to fostering creativityand supporting the next generation of musicalinnovators.

Pony Baby- Pony Baby
Pony Baby is the country musicbrainchild of celebrated Aotearoa musical talent Arahi (TeMatau-a-Māui) and songwriter Jazmine Mary (Gippsland,Australia). Their self-titled debut release, Pony Baby,blends gentle melodies with proudly country sounds likebanjos, cowbells, and twangy guitars. Drawing inspirationfrom their coastal home, their music explores themes oflove, vulnerability, andbelonging.

Aquatopialien- VIDA
VIDA Gibson is a Tāmaki-based artist andmusician whose debut EP, Aquatopialien, fuses soul, art pop,jazz, and funk. Inspired by their alien alter ego, Takavi,VIDA crafts immersive, ritualistic soundscapes that blendperformance, storytelling, and music into transformativelive experiences.

FlowersDream - Flowerstream
Flowerstream is aMāori/Chinese psychedelic noise duo from Auckland, blendingelectric guzheng and drums into an experimental sound rootedin Chinese traditions. Their 2024 EP Flowers Dream capturesa world of chaotic energy and transcendent beauty, weavingtogether dreamy textures and experimental noise intosomething uniquely theirown.

Filter -Byllie-jean
Byllie-jean is a Māori artist,writer, whose debut solo EP Filter blends experimentalsounds, from acoustic purity to electronic grit, thatreflects her deep connection to her Māori heritage. As aleader in the Indigenous music scene, she explores themes ofcultural identity, healing, and memory. Filter is a powerfuland personal exploration of what it means to be an islanddweller and indigenous storyteller in today'sworld.

Parachute Music Founder &CEO, Mark de Jong, says, "Parachute isproud to support the exciting local talent emerging inAotearoa. We look forward to hosting the winner of theAuckland Live Independent Debut Award in our studios, givingthem space to develop their future work."

Thisyear IMNZ are proud to acknowledge another recording artistwith the award for The Independent Music NZ Classic Record.To acknowledge New Zealand’s rich history of makingtimeless albums that continue to inspire us and also definewho we are. This year, the award, as determined by thejudging panel, goes to:

SHIHAD -KILLJOY (Wildside Records 1995) to be honoured as the 2025IMNZ Classic Record

SHIHAD are well-known asNew Zealand’s hardest rock band since their earlybeginnings. The group broke through with it’s second albumKilljoy, released onWildside Records in 1995, which blended thecolossally heavy riffs of debut albumChurn, with a newfound popsensibility. This potent mix would become the signatureSHIHAD sound.

Killjoy spawned two Top 20 singles,‘You Again’ and‘Bitter’, and won four AotearoaMusic Awards - including Album of the Year, tobegin a winning streak that would see SHIHAD collect 18AMA’s throughout their career and be inducted into theNew Zealand Music Hall of Fame in2010.

Killjoy also garnered the admiration of legendslike Iggy Pop and members ofMetallica, with MTV noting their highpraise—an endorsement that solidified the album’s placein rock history.

In 2025, the LoudForever tour marked the final live shows that theband performed over a remarkable 37 yearperiod.

NZ On Air Outstanding Music JournalismAward 2025

The NZ On Air OutstandingMusic Journalism Award, now in its fourth year, isnow an integral part of the Taite Music Prize. This awardhonours a journalist, blogger, editor, or creator whose workhas had a significant and enduring impact on the Aotearoamusic scene through ethical, and innovative reporting. At atime when music media in New Zealand faces increasingchallenges, this award highlights those who continue tochampion and contribute to the vitality of the musicecosystem. Whether through written articles, audio, video,or podcasts, the recipient will be a creator whodemonstrates an unwavering commitment to truth-telling andthe transformation of the media landscape. The awardcelebrates both emerging and established figures, with anational and/or international reputation for theircontribution to music journalism. This year’s roundproduced a record number of nominations that resulted invery spirited and robust discussions around the judgingtable.

The finalists are; Karl Puschmann(Antenna Media); Rosa Nevison, Sam Elliot, FlynnRobson(Newzician Magazine); Chris Schulz (BoilerRoom).

Karl Puschmann (AntennaMedia) - Renowned freelance arts and culture writerbased in the Bay of Plenty. With a background as editor ofRip It Up and TimeOut magazines and former culture editor atThe New Zealand Herald, his work spans over a decade ofentertainment columns. His features regularly appear in toppublications such as The New Zealand Herald, The New ZealandListener, Stuff, and Radio New Zealand.

RosaNevison, Sam Elliot, Flynn Robson (NewzicianMagazine) - Founded by three friends, theirmagazine celebrates Aotearoa’s vibrant music scene throughin-depth features on emerging artists and the people behindthe scenes. With three successful issues, the magazine hasgained recognition for its unique blend of storytelling,photography, and its commitment to diverse, localtalent.

Chris Schulz (Boiler Room NZ)- Chris Schulz is an independent music journalist basedin Tāmaki Makaurau, with over 20 years of experiencecontributing to publications such as The New Zealand Herald,Stuff, and The Spinoff. He currently authors the Boiler RoomNZ newsletter, focusing on the Aotearoa musicindustry.

The recipient will receive a $2500cash prize, generously supported by NZ OnAir.

‘We are thrilled to once again be supportingthe NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award. In what isan incredibly challenging environment for our media, it isreally important that we continue to recognise the greatwork music journalists do and the role they play in helpingaudiences discover great New Zealand music.’Teresa Patterson, Head of Music at NZ OnAir.

These honours will be revealed onTuesday, 15th April, at Tāmaki Makaurau’s Q Theatre, aspart of a night that also celebrates the Taite Music Mainand the Independent Spirit Award—marking a standout momentin Aotearoa’s musiccalendar.

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