New Zealand's 30 top placing young musicians moving on to the Smokefreerockquest Semi-finals have been announced, four of which are from the Bay of Plenty.

Representing the Bay of Plenty are Alchemy - Papamoa College and Mount Maunganui College, Mmc B - Mount Maunganui College, Their there - Mount Maunganui College, and Micah also from Mount Maunganui College.

Running since 1989, and now visiting 21 different regions around the country - and an online option, Smokefreerockquest is New Zealand's major nationwide, live, original music, youth event.

Giving young musicians the opportunity to perform live in a professional setting, in venues from Whangarei to Invercargill, it has been a stepping stone for many of the country's most well-known and successful artists, contributing massively to the music community throughout New Zealand.

This year Smokefreerockquest attracted over 750 bands and solo/duos who went through regional heats and finals in 20 venues from Invercargill to Whangarei throughout June and July.

Each of the Top-30 acts, the Semi-finalists, are now invited to record their entry of three original songs in a live studio setting.

These recording days will be held in three different locations around the country - in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch - during August.

Acts who are in the Top 30 and are unable to make one of the filming days will be able to film their own entry to submit for judging.

These performances will be judged alongside each other for National Finalist selection. From these Top-30 acts, the Top-10 nationally will be selected.

The Top-10 get, alongside the opportunity to play at the national finals, a day recording in a professional studio with a mentor. This year's top 10 will be announced at 12pm, August 26.

About this year's semi-finals, Rockquest promotions general manager Matt Ealand says there is huge benefit in each of the acts going through the process of a professional live recording.

'The ability to perform an authentic, powerful, committed live performance is a fantastic way for acts to get their music quickly and effectively in front of people. Being able to connect as musicians with people online has become increasingly important in the last decade.

'It goes without saying that the pandemic has required acts to engage with their audience via online mediums; but also this is the way acts are engaging with the music industry too.”

Bands (alphabetically)
3D Howls - Burnside High School & Kaiapoi High School (Canterbury)
Alchemy - Papamoa College & Mt Maunganui College (Bay of Plenty)
Bright Sky - Scots College, Wellington High School, Com Ed Centre, Wellington East Girls' College, & Rongotai College (Wellington)
Estrogen - Wakatipu High School (Central Otago)
Lift - Diocesan School For Girls (Auckland Central)
Mmc B - Mt Maunganui College (Bay of Plenty)
Mystery - Alfriston College (Manukau)
Parkdale - Mt Albert Grammar School (Auckland Central)
Pinejah - Cambridge High School (Waikato)
Sense of Time - Kings High School (Otago)
Smoked Paprika - Hillcrest High School (Waikato)
Spoken - Mt Aspiring College (Central Otago)
Stay In It - Palmerston North Girls' High School (Manawatū)
Studio A- Middleton Grange School (Canterbury)
Súe Chef - John McGlashan College (Otago)
The Flares - Cashmere High School (Canterbury)
The Gandharvas - New Plymouth Boys' High School (Taranaki)
The Jehts - Christchurch Girls' High School, Christchurch Boys' High School, Avonside Girls' High School (Canterbury)
Their there - Mt Maunganui College (Bay of Plenty)
This Machine Means Murder - Western Springs College (Auckland Central)

Solo/Duo (alphabetically)
Beattie Brothers - Long Bay College (North Shore)
Emerson Devos- Hutt Valley High School (Wellington)
Grace & Leigh - Albany Senior High School & Kristin School (North Shore)
Heidingbehindanna - Christchurch Girls High School (Canterbury)
Imani J and KahuSB - Nayland College, Nelson College For Girls (Nelson)
Keira - Gisborne Girls' High School (East Coast)
Micah - Mt Maunganui College (Bay of Plenty)
Stank Plankton - Hutt Valley High School, Wellington High School and Com Ed Centre (Wellington)
Third Junction - Timaru Boys' High School (Timaru)
Zac & Maddison - Garin College & Waimea College (Nelson)

A panel of judges from within the New Zealand music industry will select the Top-10 overall, who will play off at the National Final held at Q Theatre in Auckland on Saturday September 24.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners' prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package, a photo shoot and branding package. There is also the Musicianship Award, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right 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 ten singles all certified gold or platinum.