MusicScott Maclachlan knows better than anyone how to succeed in the music business. 

Scott runs Saiko Management, a boutique artist management company with bases here and New York managing artists as such as Sol3 Mio, Mt Eden and Parson James, LEISURE, Thomston and Glades. 

When he spoke at #smcakl three years ago, a young artist he'd signed to Universal Music started gaining attention with a song "Royals". He spent the following two years managing Lorde through her rise to international superstardom.

Previously Scott spent a decade as A+R Director and Head of Business Development at Universal Music, having stared in the music business packing boxes before rising to Head of A+R at Jive Records through the wonder years of Britney, Backstreet Boys and R.Kelly.

Shirley Setia is an Indo-Kiwi singer, performer from New Zealand who discovered her passion for music over YouTube.

On a whim, she took part in a contest conducted by T-Series about three years back. The entry was recorded in her bedroom while she was wearing pyjamas. This earned her the nickname “Pyjama Popstar” by the New Zealand Herald. She was pleasantly surprised when she was declared as one of the winners from thousands of entries across India.

Amidst the chaotic life of being a student and a part time radio jockey, she started uploading regularly on YouTube and has since then collaborated with YouTube artists from across US, UK , India and Canada. Three years, 1.18M followers and 18M views later, she is now travelling across countries hoping to make it big in Bollywood.

One of the Pioneers of South Auckland Hip Hop, Nili also known to many as Pele from South Auckland's fave RnB sonz #CYDEL hung his Emcee ambitions Up to pursue a career as a singer song writer, although staying close & in touch with the NZ hiphop scene, he has done that by producing, writing & beat making for underground & mainstream rappers here & abroad.

PT is an award-winning urban/ Hip Hop-electronica music artist with the unique ability to write, produce and perform his own music, controlling his own creative destiny as he puts it.

He’s been independent for over 8 years and enjoys a fan base from around the world, spanning places such as NZ, Australia, Japan and the United States.

Mikee is founder of LOOP Recordings Aot(ear)oa - NZ's premiere independent record label and boutique culture marketing company & co-founder of multi-platinum selling music and art collective FLY MY PRETTIES.

Previously Mikee worked a dual role at Nine Entertainment as Marketing Director for Ticketek & Tour Manager for Nine Live co-producing shows such as One Direction & Olly Murs.

Co-developed the business model, content strategy and directed the legal side of innovative 'fair trade streaming', direct-to-fan music platform BABOOM.

For fun Mikee make mixtapes, co-produces TEDxAuckland and produces all Think INC NZ events such as An Evening with Steve Wozniak. 

Among various creative and entrepreneurial endeavours, Julian is a devoted organiser of these events and deeply engaged citizen of the world.

After founding communico, providing all-media design, photography, video, and event production Julian launched into the startup world developing the controlroom.co tool for online marketing.

Intense curiosity and hunger for learning means he will always ask that burning question, a trait that isn’t always endearing but should ensure a lively panel discussion!

Who doesn’t want to live more awesome?

We have copies of Jimi Hunt’s new book to giveaway hot off the press.

More giveaways announced next week. There’s always more at #smcakl.

One lucky person coming to ‪#‎smcakl‬ this Wednesday will get the chance to have their own customised cartoon thanks to Cartoons by Jim. To be in to WIN, tell us on facebook or twitter what your favourite piece of technology is and Jim will draw a cartoon about it just for YOU. He’s also got a surprise announcement on the night but you’ve gotta be there to hear it!

Directed by and starring our panelist Pele Nili, Groove City is a ground-breaking musical set in Auckland. It follows reformed bad boy Solomon Tumau who was once embedded in the gritty streets. Now, he wants to make sure his young family members and the rest of the community stay away from the dark life he knew.

Be amoung the first to see this break-out hit by winning one of two double passes to this week’s opening screenings at Event Cinemas Manukau. Check #smcakl on facebook for details, or support NZ creative by buying your tickets now.