Alternative/progressive rock band Ivy recently won the Radio One FM Bring The Noise 2023 competition, fending off other competitors with their high level of musicianship.
Band members Connor Cooper (bass), James Axton (lead guitar), Jesse Hanan (vocals, rhythm guitar), Louis Stevenson (violin) and Ocean Wilson (drums) formed while pupils at Bayfield High School in 2020.
Lead guitarist James Axton said the band were "stoked" by the win.
"This was our first competition, so it is amazing to have our music and performances recognised in this way.
"We can’t wait to share more of our music with Aotearoa and the world."
The band had a diverse range of musical influences, resulting in a sound that was uniquely theirs, he said.
First prize is a day recording at the state-of-the-art Sublime Studio in Kurow.
"We are so grateful to Radio One FM and OUSA for giving us the opportunity to compete and to Sublime Studio for sponsoring the event," Axton said.
The band released their debut single Stranger in September 2022, followed by a five track EP (For the Sake of It) in February 2023 and a second single, Heartless in May 2023.
They have plans to release more songs soon, and a series of live performances are also on the horizon for the Dunedin quintet.
