Universal Music NZ launches nextWAV., a new pathway for emerging artists in Aotearoa
The 12-month programme pairs secondary school students with industry mentors. It’s the kind of ground-up investment our scene has needed for a long time.
Wellington, Universal Music New Zealand announced on 4 June 2026 the launch of nextWAV., a first-of-its-kind artist development programme designed to identify and support emerging young artists across Aotearoa.
The 12-month programme will bring together leading organisations across the New Zealand music industry to provide mentorship and real development opportunities for secondary school students who are serious about pursuing careers in music. UMNZ framed the initiative around a clear recognition: emerging artists in Aotearoa face increasing challenges cutting through both locally and internationally, and the pathway into the industry has historically depended more on who you know than what you've built.
nextWAV. is positioned as a structural response to that. Whether it delivers on that promise will depend on two things: who actually gets access to the programme, and how openly it engages with communities that have historically been underserved by the major label system, Pacific, Māori, and regional artists among them.
For collectives like ours, the intent matters. The music industry only grows meaningfully when the pathway in is visible and accessible from the ground up, not just for those who already have industry connections. A programme that genuinely reaches secondary school students in Wellington, Manukau, or Flaxmere isn't just good for those students. It builds the whole ecosystem.
Details on partner organisations and how to apply are expected through UMNZ's channels over the coming weeks. We'll share them as soon as they're live.
If you're a young creative in Aotearoa who this programme sounds like it's for, it is. Watch this space.
The only way is up. ↑
Got a story worth telling? Let's grow it.
Start a project →