Hillcrest High School band Smoked Paprika tops Waikato round of Smokefreerockquest

Smoked Paprika consists of Ephraim Frame (electric guitar), Ollie Neil (guitar/sax), Arlo Oliver (keyboard/synth), Josh Hogarty (drums), Sage Garrett (bass). Photo / Supplied

Smoked Paprika from Hillcrest High School took out first place at this year's Waikato regional Smokefreerockquest final.

Judge Lou'ana Whitney is excited to see where Smoked Paprika go, saying they have "awesome songs, great instrumentation, hits, builds, dynamics and riffs ... they have obviously been practising and putting in the work".

Smoked Paprika are now up for semifinalist selection in Smokefreerockquest. The band's full line-up is Ephraim Frame (electric guitar), Ollie Neil (guitar/sax), Arlo Oliver (keyboard/synth), Josh Hogarty (drums) and Sage Garrett (bass).

Second place in the band category went to Pinejah from Cambridge High School. They join solo-duo winners Summer Jane (Summer Rodrigues) from Sacred Heart Girls' College and Unexpected from Hauraki Plains College in moving on to the top 30 semifinalist selection. The top 30 will play off at one of three semifinals held in different centres in late August.

The Smokefree Tangata Beats Award went to Anna Tukuitoga from Hauraki Plains College. She now goes into the selection process for the national final of Smokefree Tangata Beats in September.

For RQP (Rockquest Promotions) general manager Matt Ealand, running the programme this year feels hugely significant.

"This year we really feel how much living through the pandemic has affected our rangatahi. Not only in Smokefreerockquest but across all our programmes we are seeing themes of mental health, connection through social media, and also just Covid in general pop up again and again," said Ealand, who has been working with RQP for two decades.

"Having this creative outlet is just so important. It's fantastic seeing how resilient these young people are if they have a space to express themselves."

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners' prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners, including $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package, a photo shoot and a branding package from Imaginary Friends.

There is also the Musicianship Award, the Apra (Australasian Performing Rights Association) Lyric Award, Rockshop Electronic Performance Award, ZM Best Song Award, and Vocals Award.

Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest include Broods, Marlon Williams, Fazerdaze, Aldous Harding, Nadia Reid, Drax Project, Six60, Leisure, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Joel Little, Tiny Ruins, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Chelsea Jade, Die!Die!Die!, Leroy Clampitt, Robinson, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Skinny Hobos, Kimbra, Aaradhna, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga, and Balu Brigada.

Smokefree Tangata Beats standout successes include Alien Weaponry, Strangely Arousing, and Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have 10 singles all certified gold or platinum.

The full list of awards for Waikato

● Band 1: Smoked Paprika, Hillcrest High School
● Band 2: Pinejah, Cambridge High School
● Band 3: The Bagels, St Paul's Collegiate
● Solo/Duo 1: Summer Jane, Sacred Heart Girls' College
● Solo/Duo 2: Unexpected, Hauraki Plains College
● Smokefree Tangata Beats Award: Anna Tukuitoga, Hauraki Plains College
● Best Vocals: Happy Faces, Hillcrest High School (whole band)
● Musicianship (jointly awarded): Oliver Parsons (guitar) of Nile, Rototuna Senior High School
● Musicianship (jointly awarded): Kate Stephens (guitar) of Ordinary Outsiders, Cambridge High School
● ZM Best Song: sure brake, Hamilton Boys' High School
● Apra Lyric Writers' Award: "Royal Flush" by Anna Crouchman of Feather Weight, Cambridge High School