Music Releases
SOLE Music Academy mentors artist development students throughout their whole recording and release campaign. Here are some of our recent music releases we are very proud to share with you.
Check out our official SOLE Music Academy playlist here
Sam Heselwood’s debut single ‘18’ is currently charting at No.4 on NZ Hot Single Charts.
In 2021, after a year of gigging in Wanaka, Sam Heselwood returned to Christchurch and was due to go overseas on a rugby contract but COVID-19 struck which lead him on a new path. Sam joined SOLE Music Academy and through their mentorship and support, Sam honed his skills in singing, guitar and songwriting and wrote his new body of work titled Bloodline.
Sam was then selected for the Artist Release Programme and went onto release 3 singles and his debut Ep Bloodline with guidance of SOLE. He has garnered radio play on ZM, and is currently sitting on 200k listeners on spotify nearing 5 million streams and an audience of over 100K followers. Clearly he is on the right pathway to success.
Listen to his music here
When I started with SOLE I couldn't even sing in front of 10 people without having an anxiety attack, now I'm singing to crowds in the hundreds and loving every minute of it, my EP has over 5 million streams on Spotify, I've been contacted by some of the biggest labels in the world, I've had multiple songs on the radio and i'm now touring in the UK. This wouldn't of been even remotely possible without Sacha and the awesome team at SOLE.”
- Sam Heselwood
Castaway - Move On
Ōtautahi pop-rockers CASTAWAY began their journey with SOLE when lead singer Jackson first came in for vocal sessions. After discovering the Artist Development Programme, he convinced the band to apply — and the rest is history. SOLE helped elevate them from a uni band to one of Aotearoa’s rising acts, with highlights including a feature at the prestigious NZ On Air Showcase, support slots for Mitch James’ final show and Drax Project, and multiple singles landing rotation on MoreFM, ZM, RNZ, and The Edge.
With another album on the way, produced by Greg Haver, one of New Zealand’s top producers—they’re firmly carving out their place in the industry. From their first uncertain steps at SOLE to becoming one of the country’s most exciting emerging acts, Castaway is proof of what hard work, resilience, and the right guidance can achieve.
EP Nondual is out now.
Jaz Paterson first walked into SOLE for vocal sessions but it quickly became clear she had something special. We helped unlock her songwriting talent and shape the stunning body of work that became her EP Ache. With SOLE’s guidance, Jaz secured over $30k in funding to bring the project to life, signed with top-tier booking agency Twice The Hype, and has since gone on to headline Electric Avenue 2025. Her journey is proof of what can happen when raw talent meets the right development.
New single - ‘Grocery Shopping’ OUT NOW
Nat & Jono are two childhood friends from Christchurch, New Zealand who have been making beautiful music together since they were 7. Now 18 yr olds, their music is filled of lush harmonies and conscious lyrics about relatable subjects that fill the minds of teenagers.
Their debut singles ‘Constellations’ & ‘Six Dollar Shirt’ are the feature stand out tracks with over 100k plays on Spotify. Their debut EP ‘We Can Only Laugh’ released in March 2019 took them from bedroom artists to a sold out audience at Lytellton Records. The skilled songwriters and musicians decided on the name of their EP because in their own words..."we don't take ourselves too seriously. How can we? We are only young".
Taking influence from Angus & Julia Stone and Seafret, they are serious however about the sound they want to create and the messages in their lyrics. Both have been highly involved in the productions alongside producer Will McGillivray (NOMAD) and mentor Sacha Vee (SOLE Music Academy).
Finalists in the past two NZ Rockquests, they made it through to the TOP 5 in 2017 and have been gathering momentum ever since.
