Play It Strange

05/06/2025

All Junior Comp finalists should have received an email yesterday about how to book your recording studio session 🌟🎙️

Everyone should check out this resource we made on all the amazing studios and producers we work with across Aotearoa! Link below 🔗

Enter into the National Songwriting Comp and Waiata Māori Comp for a chance to record at these legendary spaces! ❤️‍🔥

Below is some information on studios, engineers, and producers we have worked with in the past that we recommend for recording your song. You can use any studio you like even if they are not on this list, but this is intended to help you decide who you want to work with based on location, genre, an....

30/05/2025

Peace Song Competition closes at midnight on Monday 2nd June! Get your song in now on our website 🎧🎵

ALL finalists get to have their song professional recorded in a studio of their choice ✨

First place wins:
🎸 1:1 mentoring session with Bic Runga
🎸 $1,000 Rockshop NZ voucher
🎸A backing arrangement for four orchestral instruments from Auckland Philharmonia Learn & Participate
🎸 Interview and air-play on 95bFM
🎸 Performance opportunity at our Annual Awards!

A huge thank you to the Wright Family Foundation for sponsoring this competition ❤️

28/05/2025

Thanks Aotearoa Music Awards for an EPIC evening witnessing some of the very best musical talent in Aotearoa as they rehearse for the big night 🍃

Such a privilege to witness the soundchecks of Chaii, LAB, Stan Walker, Fazerdaze and more. Your eyes and ears are in for a TREAT this evening- tune into RNZ live to stream it or watch on TVNZ on demand from Friday!

Thanks to our pals Burgerfuel for feeding us first too 🍔🍔

28/05/2025

Louis Baker joined us at Naenae College last week to chat to their music students - and ended the workshop with an epic performance!

28/05/2025

Congratulations to all of the winners for the 2025 Junior Songwriting Competition! 🎉 Welcome to the Play It Strange whānau 🫶

All of these incredible Year 9-11 students will have the opportunity to record their song in a professional recording studio of their choice 🎵🎤🌟

Ngā mihi to the supporters who came together to make this competition possible!
APRA AMCOS NZ
Concord Music Publishing ANZ
Grassroots Trust Velodrome
Youthtown NZ
Giltrap Group
NZ On Air Music
and a group of very generous patrons ❤️

27/05/2025

Ngā mihi to award winning musician (and Play it Strange alumni) Louis Baker for joining us at Taitā College on Friday to talk all things songwriting!

26/05/2025

What Coast Arcade said!

26/05/2025

FAQ on the Peace Song Competition! Enter now: https://www.playitstrange.org.nz/competitions

The deadline has been extended to MONDAY MIDNIGHT as we forgot it's a long weekend hehe our mistake - your win 💗

Thank you to Wright Family Foundation for making this all possible!

23/05/2025

Thanks Wellington College for having Play It Strange and Louis Baker to visit your music class yesterday to talk all things songwriting!

22/05/2025

🎻 Major prize alert! First place in the Peace Song Comp wins a custom backing arrangement for a quartet from Auckland Philharmonia Learn & Participate! 🎺

This is your chance to work with a composer and have your original song brought to life by bringing orchestral instruments into the recording studio 🎵✨

⏳1 week left to get your song in! Submissions close Friday 30th May, enter on our website 💫

22/05/2025

📣 Announcing the winner of the 2025 Junior Songwriting Competition! 📣

A huge congratulations to Year 10 student Sienna Fitzgerald who has been awarded first place for her beautiful song ‘Sweetness’ 🎵🍬

Alongside the other 44 finalists, Sienna will get to record her song in a professional recording studio of her choice! She also wins
:
🎉 A 1:1 mentoring session with Louis Baker
🎉 $500 Rockshop NZ voucher
🎉 An interview on 95bFM and her song played on the radio
🎉 Performance at our annual awards 💫

Congratulations to all of the other finalists — the quality of the songs submitted this year was outstanding! 💕✨