Four talented musicians enter New Zealand prisons and mentor prisoners through creative song writing.

The challenge to write and record a song based on their personal and often difficult life-experiences. Using words and concepts as a creative starting point, the discussion turns to self-reflection. Student’s are faced with a bigger challenge; breaking out of their comfort zone, dropping their ego’s and facing their inner critics.

Through the song writing, their life choices and personal struggles are brought into the light. By facing up to some of the hurt in their lives and then turning it into a creative expression, this is a deeply transformative experience for the students.

Having the opportunity of using a recording studio and working with professional musicians to help craft the song, the prisoners lay down their vocal tracks. The challenges are huge; technical, creative, personal and a short time frame to boot.

Where there was once a negative sentiment, there is now a real sense of achievement and pride.

‘Songs From The Inside’ cuts through the small talk and conventions of reality television. The result is a gritty, thought provoking series that turns a rare lens on the darker corners of New Zealand society and dares to seek the positive. It is a journey of choices and consequences, demons and dreams, driven by the power of music.