Asian artist breaks through in NZ Music Month

New Zealand Music Month is giving an Asian artist the chance to be heard which is currently lacking in mainstream media, he says.

Music Month this year is celebrating local artists, by encouraging listeners to “support local, stream local, follow local, buy local.”

“It has been really nice finally getting recognised by music month and the New Zealand Music Commission,” says Malaysian New Zealand artist Geoff Ong.

It is the first time Mr Ong has been featured in Music Month, with his latest single released earlier this month.

“When you do get external validation especially from something like NZ Music Month whose recommendation kind of carries a big of weight, it does feel nice,” he says.

Mr Ong says it is “tiring” to think people are not listening to music because of the “extra variable of was it because I’m Asian?”

But he supports conversation about Asian representation in the music scene, as he finds it an “awkward topic” for mainstream media to talk about.

“The music scene in New Zealand is great… I think maybe the industry as a whole is not quite ready for things that don’t quite fit within the mainstream just yet,” Mr Ong says.

Mr Ong says the New Zealand music industry still has a long way to go as it is not as “prestige” and has “less clout”, but believes “people want to support local artists.”

“Generally everyone is accepting of everyone, everyone is easy to talk too, friendly and happy to offer help when they can, and I think that’s one of the coolest things about the music community in New Zealand,” he says.

This year marks the 20^th anniversary for New Zealand Music Month.

Music streaming giant Spotify and NZonAir revealed “The Independent NZ Artist Fund” in celebration.