Rotorua songwriting competition Te Manu Tito Waiata back for second year

Jasmine Pene, winner of the 2020 Rotorua Song Writing Competition Te Manu Tito Waiata. Photo / Supplied

The opportunity to share and showcase creative songwriting abilities is back up for grabs this year.

Following its launch last year, the Rotorua Song Writing Competition Te Manu Tito Waiata is returning in the lead up to New Zealand Music Month 2021.

Aimed at local musicians, songwriters, composers and lyricists, this competition aims to inspire local artists to get creative and write a song.

This year, as well as the $1000 prize, the winner will have the opportunity to have their song recorded professionally.

Rotorua May Music Month co-ordinator Bobby Mihi Howard is looking forward to seeing what the local community create.

"This is a great initiative that adds another level of support for local artists to share their unique talents with the wider community," she says.

"There are incredibly creative people in Rotorua, and I look forward to showcasing the talents of our composers and songwriters."

'Te Manu Tito Waiata' refers to the birds of the forest that sing the sweetest songs and tell melodious tales. To sing a sweet song though, one must write beautiful lyrics and Rotorua is well known for its talented performers.

Last year, for the inaugural competition, Jasmine Pene won ahead of 12 other entries for her song Your Mind is the Garden.

After graduating from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology last year, Jasmine said it was a massive honour and privilege to have her song chosen.

The writer(s) must be a resident in the Rotorua district and the work must be an original song, with lyrics suitable for a family audience. Full terms and conditions are available in the entry form.

- Entry forms can be found on www.RotoruaNui.nz. A wider programme of New Zealand Music Month events will be launched in April 2021.