Songs from 2010-2022
2022 Summertime by Hugo and Finn Clark
2021 2021 Aroha I Aotearoa by Anna Feillet
2020 We Are One by Sophie Brown
2019 Aotearoa, nō te Katoa by Lucy Summerfield
2018 The Smell of Sunscreen by James Constable
2018 (bonus song) NZ’s Silly Song by Josie Brownlie, Lucia Marshall and Stella McCombie
2017 Cape Reinga by Anouk van Dijk
2017 (runner up) Colours of New Zealand by Deborah Peter and Grace Smith
2016 We are Aotearoa by Hanna Milo and Ella Dale
2015 Stickytarday by Joshua Dondaduwa, Samuel Tanner, Jethro Wall, Mackenzie Lines and Daniel Cossey
2014 Islands by Maxine Vaihu, Julia Tu’uga and Meleseini Puletau
2013 Paradise by Waimarie Smith
2013 (runner up) Good Friends by Angelica Siale & Uprising Vibrations
2012 21 Degrees by Bruce Taiapa
2011 Things to Remember by students from Te Rumaki O Te Uru Karaka
2010 Made In New Zealand by Katherine Muir, Nikki Taylor and Amber Le Compte
(Google Drive link of all song pdf and audio links)
Where there are two audio tracks, the first is the full recording, and the second is a backing track.
2022 Summertime
Hugo (13) and Finn Clark (11) are from the Hawkes Bay and are homeschooled.
Finn is currently studying for his ATCL on the piano. He also plays guitar and sings in a band. He’s part of a cathedral choir and also plays the drums, cello and ukulele.
Hugo plays the drums and is working towards his grade 5 exam this year. He plays the snare drum in the Hawkes Bay Batacada group. He also plays the trumpet and is a member of the Napier Technical Memorial band.
Other than music the boys enjoy skateboarding, scootering, art, cooking and fishing.
They were mentored by Jeremy Redmore in the recording studio.
2021 Aroha I Aotearoa
Instrumental play-along with sign language (YouTube)
Anna Feillet is 13 years old and is in Year 9. Born in Dunedin, Anna’s family originate from France and she is very proud of her bi-lingual, dual heritage. Her interests include dance, drawing, reading and baking as well as everything musical. As well as ‘ukulele and guitar Anna is a capable pianist and is now also learning drums. Her song writing commenced last year, as a wellness taonga for a young cancer sufferer.
Anna’s intermediate school enjoyed learning and singing last year’s winning song, and she made the decision to enter Hook Line and Sing-a-long in 2021. During the summer holidays Anna took a trip around the South Island and her song started to take shape, with her ‘ukulele in the car. Her success this year and the recording experience mean that Anna intends to write and record more.
2020 We Are One
Congratulations to Sophie Brown, Year 12 from Epsom Girls’ Grammar School as this year’s winner of Hook, Line and Sing-a-long. Sophie is a prolific song writer who came to the craft just a couple of years ago when she gained enough confidence to show a friend her first efforts. Performing originals to her wider family came next and then it was full steam ahead. Unbeknownst to our Hook, Line and Sing-a-long judges Sophie, who uses the artist name “girl.”, had successes in the 2019 Play It Strange Competition and in School of Rock – The Musical song writing competition. Clearly her songwriting talents are significant.
Even though we were under lockdown during late March and through April, Sophie managed to produce and record all of the tracks for the song herself, in her bedroom at home. These were polished by the masterful hands of Paddy Hill, known to many students for his work at Roundhead Studios. Our special thanks go to Natalia Kay for the NZ Sign Language video rendition, using a translation realised by her mum, Elizabeth.
Teachers wishing to use ‘We Are One’ in their classrooms will find the NZ Sign Language video and other resources below.
Schools can also choose to play along with Sophie Brown in a streamed performance at 12:00 midday sharp on Friday 29 May, 2020.
2020 Instrumental Video with sign language (YouTube)
2019 Aotearoa, nō te katoa
2018 The Smell of Sunscreen
2018 NZ’s Silly Song (bonus song)
Here is one of our Highly Commended entries.
“NZ’s Silly Song” was the judges’ favourite song from our primary and intermediate entrants and was written by Josie Brownlie, Lucia Marshall and Stella McCombie from Waimairi School in Christchurch.
The writers really show their spirit of fun and humour, and requires imagination!
2017 Cape Reinga
2017 Colours of New Zealand (runner up)
Carmel College Year 10 students Deborah Peter and Grace Smith had never written a song before they entered Hook, Line & Sing-a-long.
The Brooke Fraser and Taylor Swift fans, who became fast friends in Year 8, are the Overall Runners-up in the 2017 contest for their song “The Colours of New Zealand” and winners of a $250 prize from MusicWorks.
With the help of their music teacher Glen Child – who set writing an entry as a task for their class – the songwriters chose a winning formula to craft their song:
“We listened to all of the previous Hook, Line & Sing-a-long winners, how many chords were involved, if it was catchy or not. If you could play it on a ‘ukulele and if a primary school could sing it. And we tried to base it off of those.”
However, the duo didn’t feel restricted by the song guidelines. “We didn’t notice all the rules – we just kept it simple. Because we had to write a song, we said, let’s write about something we want to write about. Not just do it because we have to.” Grace told us. And the song’s theme? “I just sort of thought of it, and we brainstormed about each colour and put the verses together.”
The pair described writing a song together as “fun, and we got to learn a lot from each other… We had a lot of laughs doing it as well!”
It won’t be the last time Deborah and Grace write together. “You can go anywhere with it. You can do anything, any chords, any words you want to express, it’s a big place you can look around and just have fun.”
2016 We Are Aotearoa
2015 Stickytarday
“Stickytarday” by Year 10 Bethlehem College students Joshua Dondaduwa, Samuel Tanner, Jethro Wall, Mackenzie Lines and Daniel Cossey was a hands-down winner with its catchy hook, interesting harmonic structure, memorable chorus and overall “sing-along” qualities.
Produced by Ben King (Grand Rapids, Goldenhorse,) the instrumental tracks are 100% by these hard working students!
Take yourself back to summer any time of year with this fun and catchy tune that is sure to become a Kiwi school classic.
2014 Islands
2013 Paradise
“Paradise” by Kerikeri native Waimarie Smith was composed while a boarding student at St Peter’s School in Cambridge, and since then has become a true Kiwi school classic. The NZ Sign Language version of this beautiful waiata has over 120,000 hits on YouTube!
Waimarie was mentored by taonga puoro artist Horomona Horo and Three Houses Down keyboardist Tonga Vaea.
The plaintive melody and descriptive lyrics make “Paradise” a song to fall in love with over and over again.
Good Friends (2013 runner up)
By Angelica Siale & Uprising Vibrations
2012 “21 Degrees”
Hook, Line and Sing-a-long 2012 winner “21 Degrees” by Bruce Taiapa from Gisborne Boys High School is an instant favourite, with its easygoing reggae beat, Te Reo lyrics, cool backing vocals and reminder to “slip, slop, slap and wrap!”
Bruce was Mentored by Three Houses Down keyboardist Tonga Vaea.
This tune will bring you and your students back to summer – no matter what time of year!
2011 Things to Remember (Huarahi Tika)
2010 Made in New Zealand
Audio track – E major:
Audio track – F major backing track: