RaboPlus announces Greymouth songstress as RaboIdol winner
Wednesday 3 June 2009, 1:56PM
By RaboPlus
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The dream of recording a fully-funded professional album is in sight for Greymouth singer/songwriter Katie Thompson.
Today RaboPlus – the online savings and investment arm of Rabobank – named Katie winner of RaboIdol, investing NZ$10,000 into her online album fund. Now, the opportunity is open to New Zealand music lovers – both here and around the world – to invest in the songstress’ first international album and help make her dream a reality.
RaboIdol ran throughout NZ Music Month with two Kiwi music artists – Katie, and Kane Sole of Taranaki – competing for public votes. The competition was run by RaboPlus in conjunction with SellaBand, the international, online music community that allows people to invest in funding albums for up-and-coming musicians.
Katie Thompson says you have to dream big – and if you set your mind to it, you can do anything.
“I am pretty rapt, and couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. It’s amazing how RaboPlus has jumped on board and I’m extremely thankful for that. A huge thank you, too, to those who voted for me here and overseas; the support has been incredible.
“It certainly makes my goals more attainable knowing people believe in me,” she says.
RaboPlus General Manager Mike Heath is delighted to announce Katie Thompson as winner of RaboIdol.
“Katie is talented and determined with some big music goals, and we want to help her achieve them. As an online bank, this partnership with SellaBand is something a little different and it means our customers, and any New Zealand music fan, can help fund Katie’s first international album by investing as little as US$10.
“If she reaches US$50,000, people who invested will receive a limited edition of Katie’s recorded album, and 50 per cent of net revenue generated is split 50/50 with the artist and her investors for five years,” Mike Heath says.
Winning RaboIdol means Katie will also be profiled on SellaBand’s homepage for June, and on ‘Sixpack’, which features six new SellaBand artists every week and increases artists’ exposure to the international online music community.
With RaboPlus’ investment, Katie Thompson’s album fund has just tipped US$20,000. The determined 22-year-old is now focused on reaching US$50,000 and says producing an album with SellaBand would be a huge achievement.
“A big part of it is the international guidance and experience to benefit from. The ‘people pool’ is bigger and it’s well known worldwide as a great platform for indie artists.”
Katie describes her music as ‘Kiwi’ acoustic, roots, pop and country, inspired by local artists like Anika Moa, Mel Parsons and Anna Coddington.
If Katie reaches US$50,000 she would be the second Kiwi artist to benefit from the SellaBand community and record an album. In 2007 Christchurch rapper Maitreya - Jamie Greenslade - reached US$50,000 with Sellaband and recorded and produced his album Close To Home in London and New York. He has since toured his album in Amsterdam, Hong Kong, London and New Zealand.
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Editor’s notes:
How to help fund Katie Thompson’s album
Go online to Katie’s SellaBand page: http://www.sellaband.com/katiethompson/
How SellaBand works
On SellaBand, artists try to raise US$50,000 to record an album, which is made up of 5,000 ‘parts’ of US$10
Anyone around the world can become a ‘believer’ by investing in an artist by buying ‘parts’
For their investment, ‘believers’ receive a limited edition of the artist’s album when it has been recorded
50 per cent of all net revenue generated from the recorded music is split 50/50 with the artist and his or her believers, for five years
About RaboPlus
RaboPlus is an online banking service designed to complement customers’ existing banking arrangements. RaboPlus offers New Zealanders a high interest, no fees, on-call savings account as well as term deposits and access to managed funds.
RaboPlus is a division of Rabobank New Zealand Limited, part of the international Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has more than 110 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness.
Rabobank has the highest possible credit ratings from both Standard & Poor's (AAA) and Moody's Investor Service (Aaa), and has held these triple A ratings for more than 25 years. Rabobank operates in 43 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1600 offices and branches. Rabobank is among the 20 largest banks in the world based on tier one capital. In New Zealand Rabobank employs approximately 211 staff across 29 branches to service its clients. Sixteen staff, including a Wellington based call centre, support RaboPlus customers.
RaboPlus is the winner of Best Online Savings Account, Best 90 Day Term Deposit and Best New Product (Cash Advantage Fund) at the 2008 Sunday Star Times, Cannex Banking Awards. RaboPlus also won the Emerging Business Award at the 2007 NZ Marketing Magazine Marketing Awards, and won the Gold in New Product or Service Introduction and the Best in Show award at the 2007 Effies (Advertising Effectiveness Awards).
For further information about RaboPlus please visit www.RaboPlus.co.nz