NZ On Air agrees the critics have found a rising new talent - with the announcement last night of Sheep, Dog & Wolf as the winner of the 2013 Critics Choice prize, part of the Vodafone NZ Music Awards.
Sheep, Dog & Wolf, the stage name for Daniel McBride, receives a $10,000 recording and music video grant from NZ On Air as part of winning the Critics Choice prize.
"We have already supported Daniel through our Making Tracks grants, so we fully agree with the critics' choice in this case - definitely an artist to watch in the future," said Brendan Smyth, NZ On Air Music Manager.
All three finalists for the Critics Choice were NZ On Air supported artists. (The other two finalists were Paquin and Janine and the Mixtape.)
"Our music panels, who choose the artists we fund through Making Tracks, are always on the look-out for rising new talents, both in mainstream and alternative genres. The fact that, year on year, these artists take out the Critics Choice prize, shows Making Tracks is on the right track," said Mr Smyth.
Previous winners of the Critics Choice prize include Kimbra, Street Chant and Watercolours -all Making Tracks-funded artists.
The Critics Choice prize is chosen by anonymous critics who watch a live show in which each of the finalists must perform a 30 minute set.