Samoa’s unsigned musicians have a chance of landing musical contracts as the Pacific’s biggest music competition returns to the ABC in 2023, kicking off on 21 September.

This year, the search for the Pacific and Timor-Leste’s best original talent launches with an exclusive concert in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Headlining the show is PNG-born Australian artist Ngaiire who will travel from Australia to Port Moresby to perform. Joining her on stage is last year’s Pacific Break winner Danielle as well as ABC Radio Australia music host and DJ Hau Latukefu who will broadcast a special edition of his weekly music show In The Fale: Live From Moresby.

Pacific Break offers unsigned artists living in the Pacific and Timor-Leste a career-changing opportunity with the winner flown to Australia’s largest international music festival WOMADelaide in March 2024.

 Throughout the six-week campaign, featured artists have their music and videos featured on ABC Radio Australia and ABC Australia programs and on ABC Pacific digital and social accounts.

ABC Head International Services Claire M. Gorman said, “It’s great to see Pacific Break returning this year. It’s an important springboard connecting Pacific artists with audiences across the region, and we welcome artists from all genres and all the corners of the Pacific to enter their tracks for consideration.”

This year’s winner will be decided by a panel of judges made up of Ngaiire and ABC Radio Australia music hosts Hau Latukefu (In The Fale), Sose Fuamoli (On The Record) and Rick Howe (Island Music).

According to Ngaiire, “There is so much raw talent in the islands. I feel like the world is going to turn towards what’s happening in Pacific music at some point and Pacific Break is playing an integral part in laying the groundwork. I’m really happy to be a part of the initiative this year helping to find the next winner and even more excited that I get to come home and celebrate it with a live performance with my band.”

The free launch concert will be co-hosted by the Australian High Commission in Papua New Guinea and held at Port Moresby’s Lamana Gold Club. Ngaiire and Danielle’s performances will be recorded and available for audiences to listen on ABC Radio Australia and online through ABC Pacific.

The ABC first held Pacific Break in 2008 when Vanuatu group 26 Roots took out first prize with their track Broken Promises. Last year, PNG singer Danielle made history, becoming the first female artist to win the competition.  Other past winners have included PNG hip-hop artist Sprigga Mek as well as Emmanuel Mailau (PNG), III Kings (Solomon Islands), BSQ (Fiji) and Jaik Berg (Cook Islands).

Entries will open on 21 September until midnight on 2 November with the winner announced on ABC Radio Australia morning show Nesia Daily on Thursday 9 November.