Top musos sing New Zealand's praises in Oz
16 Mar 2010
Kiwi musos are singing New Zealand’s praises in Australia for a new tourism campaign targeting young Aussie travellers.
MTV’s Guide to New Zealand videos, which launched this week, will feature Kiwi artists taking viewers on a tiki tour of their favourite spots.
The documentary-style series follows Liam Finn, Scribe and The Mint Chicks as they visit favourite restaurants, music venues and beaches throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
The campaign will run twice-daily on MTV for three months, with each musician featuring in their own episode.
A slice of heaven
Kiwi rapper Scribe - the first featured musician - is already on air taking viewers on a tour of the South Island.
Scribe visits his favourite dumpling restaurant in Christchurch, heads out to Brighton Beach, and travels north along the east coast to Kaikoura to dive for paua (abalone) shellfish.
Rock artist Liam Finn, son of Neil Finn of Crowded House, shows viewers around his father’s Auckland recording studio, stopping by the surfing beach of Piha and the little Northland town of Kerikeri.
Rock band The Mint Chicks wraps up the campaign with a road trip around the South Island.
Liam Finn’s video will launch on 19 March, and the Mint Chicks on 27 March.
Uncovering New Zealand
Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler says the campaign is aimed at 16 to 24-year-old Australians - and is a way to increase first-time visitors to the country.
"The initiative gives an insight into the lives of these up-and-coming Kiwi artists. They tell a personal story about New Zealand and uncover the kinds of places and experiences you don’t read about in the guidebooks," Bowler said.
The campaign highlighted "the diversity of experiences on offer in New Zealand in a way that will appeal to younger travellers," he said.
Bio: Liam Finn
Liam Finn is one of New Zealand’s foremost young musical talents.
The singer - songwriter, who is the eldest son of Neil and Sharon Finn - started his career as frontman for Kiwi pop/rock band Betchadupa.
He has gone on to international fame, performing live on The Late Show with David Letterman in the US, and opening for Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder during his solo American tour in 2008 / 2009.
Liam has also toured with his father Neil, as part of the touring band for Crowded House’s reunion series in early 2007, and participated in Sound Relief, a rock concert in support of victims of the 2009 Victorian bushfires.
Bio: Scribe
Kiwi rapper Scribe - born Malo Luafutu - is one of New Zealand’s most successful rap musicians.
The Samoan-New Zealander grew up in Christchurch and cites NWA and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony as some of his favourite bands.
In New Zealand, Scribe’s debut album - The Crusader, went platinum five times and achieved two number one singles. His second album - Rhyme Book, includes a collaboration with New York hip-hop artist Talib Kweli.
Bio: The Mint Chicks
Pop/rock musicians The Mint Chicks are actually a group of four Kiwi guys, who met when they were at high school in Orewa, on the Hibiscus Coast north of Auckland. The band is now based in the US city of Portland, Oregon.
The Mint Chicks have enjoyed great international success, including playing support for American indie rock band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs in 2006. The band also supported Kiwi rock veterans Shihad on the 2008 Beautiful Machine tour, and has won several "Tui" awards at the New Zealand Music Awards.
More information:
MTV's 'Guide to New Zealand' with Scribe
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