Songsmiths of the South is a celebration of original music created here in Tāhuna, Queenstown - bringing together local songwriters, musicians, composers and instrumentalists to explore what it means to create in, and respond to, this place. 

The project, facilitated by Te Atamira supported by the Stout Trust and Lotteries, emerged from a desire to cultivate a stronger sense of musical community in Tāhuna Queenstown - creating space for musicians, songwriters and soundmakers from across the region to come together, share, listen and collaborate.

Led by local songwriter, producer and engineer Solomon Crook, the project brought local artists together through a series of collaborative writing sessions, exploring songwriting in relation to Tāhuna - its mountains, waters and light.

Across the project, artists were given space to write, experiment, listen and collaborate, drawing from their own experiences and their relationship with the environment around them. 

The result is a community album of original music, with each song carrying its own perspective while, together, forming a collective expression of the people and environment that shaped it. 

Now, the Songsmiths come together at Te Atamira to bring this work to life, taking the project from collaborative creative development into a shared live experience for the community. Expect an evening of original music, storytelling and collaboration, featuring a diverse range of voices, instruments and musical practices. The artists will share the songs created through the project, alongside stories of the places, experiences and ideas that inspired them.  

From the mountains and waters of Queenstown Lakes to the people who call this place home, Songsmiths of the South is a musical portrait of Tāhuna, created through connection, collaboration and a shared love of music.  

Meet the Songsmiths:

Solomon Crook

Pania Witoko

Mark Wilson

Matt Tyrrell

Erica Hastie

Shane Woolridge

Leanne Malcolm

Mala Januszkiewicz

Violet Hirst

Paul Marcham

Claire Forrestor

Breda McCarthy

Tom Maxwell

Julian Shine

George Newhouse

Naima Fifita