The SIX60 Scholarship winners are, from left, Emma Papworth, Stevie Wallace, Carter Hoffman and Billie Roberts.
The line up for 2027’s SIX60 Scholarship has been announced.
Next year will see tauira Emma Papworth, Billie Roberts, Carter Hoffman and Stevie Wallace moving into the iconic flat at 660 Castle Street, the address of which provided the name for well-known Kiwi band Six60.
The scholarship started after the SIX60 bandmates bought the flat they’d collectively lived in many years earlier, and will see the four tauira each receive $10,000 towards their accommodation in the flat. The scholarship was first won in November 2021 for the 2022 academic year and has since seen roughly 20 up-and-coming musicians call the flat home.
Read on to learn more about each of the SIX60 scholarship winners:
Emma is in her third year, studying towards a double degree of Zoology and Music.
“I’ve done a variety of different kinds of music over the years, from contemporary bands to choirs and orchestras (I’ve played flute for an age!), but since being at Otago I’ve focused more on the contemporary side of music,” she says.
“I enjoy writing and performing with my folk-rock band Cleos, as well as writing my own acoustic music and doing solo gigs.”
She says her solo music is a blend of indie and folk, often featuring lyrics about birds and the natural world.
“I love writing and performing my songs, but I’m terrible at sitting down and committing to recording them..”
She hopes to record and release some of her music before the end of 2026.
Emma is excited to have won a spot in the SIX60 flat.
“I’m very grateful to have been given this opportunity, and I can’t wait to see what myself and the other winners get up to next year.”
Emma thinks that winning the SIX60 scholarship will not only be a good chance to meet and collaborate with like-minded students, but also give her more time to focus on making music.
“Doing a double degree in Zoology and Music, I often get split between the disciplines, so I’m super excited to put more of my time and effort towards my music next year thanks to the scholarship!”
Emma’s music can be found on her Instagram: @ems.mus1c
“I’d also like to thank my parents, who made it possible for me to learn music from a young age, and to all the wonderful music teachers I’ve had over the years!”
Stevie is in her first year of study, doing a double major in Music and English.
“I have a singer-songwriter style, very much within the indie folk genre with a hint of country”
“I have been making music for as long as I can remember, both as a solo artist and in a couple different bands over the years. I can’t imagine my life without it, it has introduced me to so many new amazing people with similar passions.” she says.
Stevie applied for the SIX60 scholarship with the hope that it would help her grow – both musically and personally.
“I aspire to gain a foot in the door towards the music industry and be able to put my own music out confidently. With the help and support of the people around, and in the same boat as me, I am ecstatic for the year to come.”
She says it feels absolutely amazing to have won the scholarship.
“It's definitely something that I wasn't expecting and I feel so grateful for the opportunity. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings.”
Stevie says anyone keen on hearing her music should keep an eye on streaming platforms as she hopes to have some tunes available by the end of 2026.
Carter is in his first year, studying towards a Music major, with a minor in Management. He primarily plays guitar and sings, but has also played bass in a jazz combo and drums for another band.
“I write my own songs as a solo artist and for my new band Kenopsia, which played recently for the first time at ‘Dig the gig’,” Carter says.
Dig the Gig is a nationwide tertiary student band competition.
“I make music with my band that I suppose would fall under the genre of experimental rock. As a solo artist I write more stripped back music with characteristics of the folk genre.”
Carter says winning a place in the SIX60 house for 2027 feels “amazing”.
“I did not expect to win because there are so many hard-working talented musicians studying at Otago and it’s just such a privilege to be selected.”
Carter applied for the scholarship because he believes it will help him get more from his degree and push him to become a better musician.
“Also living and being surrounded by like-minded people who share the same passion for music will inspire me to write more music and hopefully feel more connected to my craft.”
He plans to release some of his music later this year/early next year as a solo artist and with his band, as he has a lot of content he would love to record.
He expressed thanks for his family and friends who helped him get to where he is, and to SIX60 and the University for giving him the opportunity to live in the flat.
Billie is in her third year of study, doing a double major in Law and Music.
Her main instrument is the drums along with other percussion instruments such as the Timpani.
“I have been playing drums for 13 years and play piano on the side,” she says.
Billie says music is language everyone understands, even if to different extents; “the feeling still gets through, regardless”.
A priority for Billie when composing music is thinking about whether it would work in a film.
“What draws me to it is that I think music is what makes people fall in love with certain scenes. It becomes tied to memory in a way nothing else quite does.”
Winning the scholarship feels “surreal”, she says.
“I’m very happy about it, I believe music is a kind of magic; it can go deeper than memory itself. It reaches a place in us that words can’t quite get to.
No matter who we are, or where we're from, music resonates with our deepest selves. It’s for everyone.”
Billie applied for the scholarship because she knows she doesn’t lack in musical ability, but feels she lacks in confidence and has as fear of failure. The scholarship will give her the freedom to follow her passion for music without that fear of failing hanging over her.
“Music is a hard industry to make a living out of, and this made me doubt how far I could take it. This scholarship is a reminder for me to not let that doubt overtake my passion and love for something I truly enjoy doing.”
Billie would like to build a career in music, be it performing, producing or both.
“For now, I hope to gain recording experience and industry knowledge, which I believe is quite hard to get on your own. I am also excited to live with other musicians, as I will learn a lot from them,” she says.
Billie hopes to have her music available for people to listen somewhere online in the near future.
Previous winners' stories:
SIX60 scholarships announced for 2026
University announces SIX60 scholarships for 2025
Six60 2024 Scholarship recipients announced
Six60 scholarship recipients announced
Six60 Scholarship students excited for year ahead