Kiwi Music Stars Unite To Help Industry Professionals Impact By Ongoing Covid-19 Event Cancellations

• Social Enterprise Masked Voices launches nationwide selling luxurious masks designed by NZ music stars
• Profits go to NZ charity MusicHelps who provide assistance to industry professionals experiencing hardship
• Music stars contributing to the initiative include Shihad, Tiki Taane, Peter Urlich, MC Tali and 22 year old music star, Paige.

The last 18 months have been a rollercoaster for the entire world. The advent of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns has resulted in a vast amount of rescheduling and cancellation in the events and entertainment industry.

The closure of venues and restrictions on gatherings have had a profound effect on the income and livelihoods of all facets of the entertainment industry.

After two decades working in the events and entertainment industry, Sarah Lewis’s events agency, suddenly had months of cancelled events leaving her to explore not only a new career, but with an appetite to help colleagues and friends also affected by the cancellation of gigs and events

‘’ Masked Voices- Famous Limited Edition Collection came to me as a Eureka moment when thinking about how to stay busy and help friends in the music industry’ Lewis said. “I realised face masks were developing as a new fashion category, one likely to remain in everyday use for some time to come so it seemed like a logical business to develop. I have been producing branded masks for businesses for the last few weeks and always wanted a business model that also had social benefit. This seemed like a fun project which we hope will make a difference in some small way.’

Masked Voices is a social enterprise in collaboration with MusicHelps, a charitable organisation that serves many functions including assisting those in the NZ music community when crisis strikes. MusicHelps provides assistance to industry professionals through a Benevolent Fund and a professional wellbeing and counselling service to kiwi music people from all parts of the music industry who are experiencing illness, distress and hardship.

Lewis approached a group of artists from a wide spectrum of musical genres, inviting them to contribute a mask design to be sold and marketed with all profits going to MusicHelps. ‘’Í had a wish-list of great artists and was thrilled when everyone said yes!!! At the end of the day the events and entertainment industry is comprised of so much more than the people you see centre-stage. It is the roadies, production specialists, sound engineers, marquee companies…and without these people there would be no show!’’

The artists involved in the project include rock legends, Shihad, EDM and roots superstar Tiki Taane, internationally acclaimed MC Tali, NZ music royalty, Peter Urlich and recent winner of the Waiata Best Maori Wahine Solo artists, Paige. Each design is unique and strictly limited to 1000 masks available of each design. All of the designs represent symbolism that is supplied by the artists themselves representing symbolism that has relevance to the Covid-19 lockdowns.

They feature on masks created by NZ mask supplier Queen of the Foxes. Lewis approached the owner of the brand Lindi Kingi after purchasing one of her masks online. ‘the masks are just so soft, durable and kind to the skin as well as being washable so it was a no brainer when choosing a mask partner to work with and it worked out perfectly that we both live in the Bay of Plenty!’’

The designs are limited edition with 1000 of each being made available. Masks can be purchased online at www.maskedvoices.co.nz

Information about Music Helps

A unique charity, dedicated to changing lives through music

MusicHelps uses the power of music to help and heal New Zealanders in need.

MusicHelps Grants provides bi-annual funding to a wide range of organizations throughout New Zealand who use music to help people struggling with health issues, disability and social exclusion. To date the Grants Programme has invested in more than 100 projects with 57 partners from Whangarei to Invercargill, all using the power of music to change the lives of over 70,000 New Zealanders in need.

The MusicHelps Wellbeing Service is a 24/7 online, on the phone (tollfree 0508MUSICHELPS) and in-person counselling service fully funded by MusicHelps and provided free of charge to those that make live or recorded music possible or who work in the arts in Aotearoa. While the MusicHelps Benevolent Fund provides emergency financial packages to those whose situations and credentials meet our eligibility criteria for assistance.

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