In the Bay of Plenty, the mentor is Auckland-based Seth Haapu, of Maori and Tahitian descent, whose self-titled debut album was nominated for a NZ Music Award.
Smokefree Rockquest founder and director Pete Rainey said Smokefree had been supporting young Kiwis to showcase their music for 27 years.
"We're proud to be part of a change that means smoking really doesn't have a place in young people's bands or their world today.
"It's great to stage an event that recognises that today's musicians and artists will play a huge role in shaping New Zealand's future with the goal of Smokefree 2025."
Tickets for the regional final on June 30 are available from NZTix.co.nz, $20 for adults and $10 for students.
The regional events for both Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats run from May 12 until July 7, with the top regional bands and solo/duos submitting video footage for selection to play off at the Smokefree Pacifica Beats national final on Friday September 1 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, followed by the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 2.
Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners' prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package' a 'Decent Exposure' campaign on The Edge TV, a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends.
There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, and the People's Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.
Bay of Plenty solo/duo entrants:
- Fletcher Oxford (Tauranga Boys' College)
- A11 (Mt Maunganui College)
- Andre Moffat (Tauranga Boys' College)
- She's not a Punker (Western Heights High School)
- Contradiction (Tarawera High School)
- Paras (Bethlehem College)
- Syla (Western Heights High School)
- Jazzy and Elijah (Mt Maunganui College)
- Caleb Cross and Joshua Dodanduwa (Bethlehem College)
- Aneska and Billy (Edgecumbe College)
- Chloe Janssen (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Bree Rose (Katikati College)
- Michaela Pointon (Tauhara College)
- Alicia Swanepoel, Nicholas Rinemhota (Bethlehem College)
- Samantha McCutchan (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Fraser and Tawhao (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Charu (Western Heights High School)
- Heather Rielly (Tauhara College)
Bay of Plenty band entrants
- 3 Quarters Late (Bethlehem College)
- Jovi (Bethlehem College)
- The Good Stuff (Bethlehem College)
- Cluster (Aquinas College)
- Eyes of Blue (Rotorua Lakes High School)
- Bare Knuckled (Katikati & Rutherford Colleges)
- Unnecessary Jams (Mt Maunganui College)
- B.I.A (Brother In Arms) (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Hunt The Rest (Western Heights High School)
- Dead End (Otumoetai Intermediate)
- The Harmonics (Western Heights High School)
- College Road (Edgecumbe College)
- Trouser Men (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Sonos (Tauranga Boys' College)
- #four40's (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Timeless Black Trident High (St Joseph's Catholic School, Whakatane High)
- Sandaltansummah (Tauranga Girls' College)
- Twitch (Western Heights High School)
- t boyz (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- French Doors (Otumoetai College)
- In The Pocket (Reporoa College)
- Minnie and the Lads (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Truth (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- In The Resource Room (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Made alive (Whakatane & Trident High Schools)
- Messenger (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- The Smorgasbord Experience (Trident High School)
- FRESH VIBES (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Sonorous (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College)
- Anastasia (Western Heights High School)
Smokefree Pacifica Beats entrants:
- Fraser and Tawhao (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- #four40's (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Truth (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- TE UREWERA (TKKM o Huiarau)
- t boyz (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- FRESH VIBES (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Messenger (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Trouser Men (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- The Smorgasbord Experience (Trident High School)
- B.I.A (Brother In Arms) (Rotorua Boys' High School)
- Anastasia (Western Heights High School)