Songwriter of ‘Brave Work’ Scoops Top Award

Songwriter of ‘Brave Work’ Scoops Top Award

Popular Music student Possum Plows has been named the University of Auckland Songwriter of the Year 2014 at the Grand Final Awards Evening held at the Maidment Theatre on Thursday night.

Possum, who is in her third-year of study towards a Bachelor of Music degree at the University, performed two songs, Mine and Why Should I? to an enthusiastic crowd, before being named the winner from amongst five talented finalists.

The young musician’s songs, which were described by the judges as ‘brave work’, blended hypnotic and sassy rap with strong percussion, and commented on aspects of contemporary relationships.

The young Grey Lynn resident won a bundle of prizes including $1,000 worth of goods from MusicWorks as well as a professionally recorded single courtesy of Roundhead Studio, produced by Godfrey de Grut and mastered by Kog Studio. Kiwi FM will promote Possum and her work and Xelon Entertainment will provide her with a two-year distribution deal.

"It is such an honour to get to share the stage with the remarkably talented and unique group of musicians that I have the privilege of studying with at the University of Auckland” says Possum. “The performances this year were utterly professional, stylish and overflowing with personality and my favourite thing about the Popular Music Programme is the way it celebrates everyone’s individual strengths and recognises what we all have to offer as musicians and human beings. It is humbling just to be a part of," she says.

Other prize-winners included Henry Beasley who won the APRA Best Arranger Award with his song Davey. Jasmine Balmer won the NZ Music Commission Best Vocalist Award with her song Tiger Teeth. Tazman-Jack Nesbit won the NZ On Air Best Song Award with his song Reflections and Michael Murray won the MusicWorks Best Instrumentalist Award with his song You Broke Your Own Heart, Don’t Blame Me as well as Mushroom Music Publishing’s Best Lyricist Award with his song For The Sake of a Good Conscience.

This year’s judges for the top award of Songwriter of the Year were Vicky Blood (artist Manager for Gin Wigmore, ex-BMG UK), Don McGlashan (artist, The Mutton Birds) and Jason Huss (Roundhead Studios engineer), who were unanimous in their choice of Possum.

The talented musician is also a member of the band Maybe Rave, which is about to release a new single. She also is working on a solo project simply called Possum. Her long-term goal is to use her work as a voice for social change.

ENDS

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