Mentors

As Shihad’s high profile founding frontman and leader of The Adults rock supergroup, Jon Toogood has spent 30 years at the forefront of Aotearoa’s music scene, writing, singing, performing, mentoring, managing, directing, producing, DJ-ing, programming and promoting – all with enormous energy and humanity.

Since 1988 Jon has performed at more than 1,500 live shows and sold over 250,000 albums world-wide, with two albums certified double platinum and five albums certified gold in New Zealand and Australia. Shihad was admitted to the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2010, and the following year won Best Rock Album at the 2011 Vodafone Music Awards for Ignite; and Best Rock Album in 2015 for Five Eyes.

Jon holds the record in New Zealand for the most number one albums by a New Zealand artist (5) and the most singles in the New Zealand charts (25). He has also written more radio hits than any other artist in New Zealand music history.

Having enjoyed a stellar career as a singer, songwriter and theatre performer with no signs of stopping, Jon’s passion for nurturing the musical talent of the next generation is unmistakable! He says, “Mentoring is just as challenging and inspiring as anything I’ve done in my professional life. I get to meet so many talented people and share what I can about the art form that I love, and if I can, help.”

Based in Melbourne, Jon includes mentoring in schools whenever his projects bring him home to New Zealand, and has brought his talents to students in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Otago, Nelson and Dunedin.

Jon has been mentoring with our programmes since 2012.