Photography: Robert Trathen
As a founding member of Split Enz, Mike Chunn knows what makes a good song. It was the power of the music written by his friends Tim Finn and Phil Judd that made him so excited to be on stage.
So he was stunned to discover how little creative nurturing was happening in schools. That realisation set him on a mission: to show young artists that people care about what they have to say.
“I went to a secondary school to talk to them about songwriting,” the bass player explains.
“I said, ‘How many of you think you could write a song?’ And there wasn’t one hand that was put up, and I thought, ‘Well, that sucks.’ “Then I was invited to my eight-year-old daughter’s class and I asked the same question. Every single one said yes. Between the ages of eight and 18, they lose that creative urge to tell their stories and talk about the world they live in.”
That moment inspired Mike to start Play It Strange, a songwriting competition for high school students. He knows better than most the challenges of starting a creative career. That’s why he wanted to help create pathways for budding artists.
“When Split Enz started in 1972, no one supported us or believed in what we were doing,” he recalls.
“We were lucky that we went to Australia and didn’t have enough money to come home. That’s how we got our big break.”
Songs that speak the truth
The first competition was launched in 2004 with 110 entries. This year, nearly 900 songs were submitted across four competitions. More than 200 young musicians were also supported to record their music.
What Mike loves most about the songs written by Play It Strange teens is that they give the teens a way to express themselves. These songs allow them to share things they might not otherwise feel comfortable saying out loud.
“Every year, they get better and better, especially the lyrics,” he says.
“I was listening to one in the car on the way in and we have fighting, shouting and hurting, all to find out the mother and the father had walked out on the kids. This was his release in a way, telling us about it.”
A new era for Play It Strange
In 2023, after almost 20 years at the helm, Mike, a father of four and grandfather to three, stepped down. He handed over the reins to Stephanie Brown. Since taking over as CEO, she has found new ways to support the young talent. They offer winners mentorship with top Kiwi artists, take them to concerts and show them behind the scenes. They have also launched a podcast, hosted by award-winning singer and producer Rei, a Play It Strange alum, that demystifies the music industry.
While Stephanie’s musical experience is limited to playing drums in her high school emo band, her previous roles at Spark Arena and Live Nation gave her first-hand insight into the impact music has on young people. Combined with her work in a youth charity, leading Play It Strange is her dream role.
Witnessing the power of music
“What comes to mind is when Panic at the Disco were playing in New Zealand and teenage fans camped outside for two days in the lead-up because it meant so much to them,” says the 34-year-old.
“That was a really beautiful moment to bear witness to. This is the perfect job for me, combining the power of music and being genuinely able to help young people.”
With alumni including Kimbra, Louis Baker and Georgia Nott of Broods, Stephanie loves being part of helping the next generation of talent chase their dreams.
“We hear from so many musicians that if it weren’t for their day in the studio, they wouldn’t be musicians today,” Stephanie tells.
“It showed them what they want to study at university or it gave their parents the confidence to say, ‘You don’t have to study medicine or law, I’m going to let you study music.’”
Mike’s legacy
While he may no longer be steering the ship, Mike isn’t giving up his judging responsibility anytime soon. Despite decades as a musician, Mike admits he’s only written a handful of songs. He’s happy to concede he knows where his strengths lie. In fact, he says the best part of his job is learning from the next generation.
“I’m not a songwriter – I have tried, but I was unhappy with the results,” he says candidly.
“I’ve been in bands with great songwriters, with a really great repertoire of songs, so I just learned how to play the bass guitar. “It’s joyful witnessing what these kids create. They’re teaching me. I learn more from them than they would ever learn from me.”
