Māori scholarship recipient keen to support rising rangatahi artists

Ko Taupiri, ko Hapuakohe ōku Maunga
Ko Waikato, ko Mangawara ōku Awa
Ko Waiti, ko Kaitumutumu ōku Marae
Ko Ngāti Paoa, ko Ngāti Makirangi ōku hapū
Ko Tainui tōku iwi
Ko Pōtatau Te Wherowhero te tangata
Ko Jaedyn Randell tōku ingoa

Jaedyn Randell is studying music technology to support her ambitions to one day foster the talents of talented rangatahi (young people). She’s a recipient of Massey University’s School of Music and Creative Media Production Māori scholarship, and says it has helped with the financial support she needed to attend university. 

“When I was young, I always wanted to pay my own tuition so that my mum didn’t have to. She has supported me my whole life and it was time to use the skills she taught me to save and pay my own way.”

Already performing her own music, Jaedyn decided to study music technology because she wanted to explore a different aspect of the music industry. “I wanted to prepare myself for when it’s my time in the studio. I wanted to learn the musical terms and meanings behind them and identify what sounds I like so when it’s my time in the studio I know what I want and am able to have fluent conversations with the producer or engineer, speaking the same language,” she says.

“I love that I attend a workspace where everybody is like-minded and passionate about what they’re studying. One of my highlights is studying sound engineering, I love learning about how to operate the console as there is just so much to it that you really can’t know everything about it. I really enjoy recording artists and providing the artists with support and tools to bring their vision of the song to life.”

“In the distant future when I have more experience I want to open my own recording studio especially to support and encourage rangatahi to get involved. I know how hard it is to figure out your ‘next steps’ as a rising artist and the difficulty of finding resources to support you into being who you want to be and that is my drive.”

Applications for the School of Music scholarships are open now, closing 31 October 2019.