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Siren battles are typically judged competitions where contestants battle for the loudest, clearest sound. There are separate categories for cars and bicycles; often younger members of the crews compete in the bike category. Battles are usually done to win the title of siren king, but some battles can
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youth. The scene grew from car owners adding car battery-powered speaker systems to cars (known as "stacking"), and in 2010 battles between different siren crews began in public areas. During this time, bicycle use began to be popular among youth members of the siren scene. Popular locations for
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By the mid-2010s, siren kings received strong police and community scrutiny, with reports of loudspeakers and fire alarms being stolen from schools, fire stations and community centres, and allegations that these were being sold on the black market. Police reports to media also associated siren
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battles as being associated with gangs. Due to police raids and attention, members of the siren crews began to carry large numbers of receipts for sirens, either in pockets or placed on car dashboards. By 2016, police no longer considered the siren scene as gang activity.
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be to win each other's sirens. After the initial rounds, some battles end with a drownout round, a knockout round where contestants use their sirens together so judges can decide who has the more overwhelming sound.
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called the
Culture Dance, where people would show traditional clothing styles. After initially gaining popularity on TikTok, the song saw global success when American singer
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created barriers to close off an
Auckland public reserve at night time, however this was ineffective at stopping siren battles from taking place.
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Some siren crew members began to produce their own music to use, known as siren jams or siren beats. Often inspired by genres such as
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speakers. For bicycles, sirens need to be strapped to the bike (typically the handlebars), usually powered by a car battery.
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To compete in a competition, a car or bike must be outfitted with a sound system including sirens, typically a mix of
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Many members of suburban
Auckland communities express frustration at the noise created by siren battles. In 2019, the
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451:"Siren kings: New Zealand city plagued by Céline Dion 'speaker battles' | New Zealand | The Guardian"
374:"Siren kings: New Zealand city plagued by Céline Dion 'speaker battles' | New Zealand | The Guardian"
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534:"'A way to be heard': the New Zealand Pasifika youth subculture devoted to emergency sirens"
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989:"These biker gangs are schoolboys with absurdly large speakers on their bicycles"
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Song selection for siren battles is important, as the song will need to showcase
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665:"Celine Dion siren battlers return to West Auckland, locals at 'breaking point'"
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1135:"Laxed (Siren Beat) creator Joshua Stylah on Jason Derulo stoush and new music"
1048:"Siren love: Noisy neighbourhood nuisance or misunderstood musical subculture?"
401:"Siren love: Noisy neighbourhood nuisance or misunderstood musical subculture?"
193:
in
Wellington. In 2021, a half-hour documentary on siren kings was released by
904:"Māngere Birthing centre staff frustrated as 'siren battlers' park up outside"
573:"How Playing Really Loud Music on Auckland's Streets Is Bridging Gang Divides"
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935:"Soni Taufa: Noizy Boyz team leader on the emergence of Siren Boy culture"
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is considered to be the birthplace of the siren king culture, with the
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1079:"A Teenage Producer With a TikTok Hit Brings New Zealand to the World"
83:. The subculture exists mostly within Auckland but has also spread to
1163:"Jawsh 685: Banging siren-jams to celebrate one's heritage and roots"
733:"Siren kings ask for a public space to battle for the loudest sounds"
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876:"Facebook black market fuels thefts of loudspeakers around Auckland"
698:"West Aucklanders get behind 'siren kings' in plea for battle space"
962:"Adam Art Gallery launches survey of Edith Amituanai's photography"
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1107:"Jason vs Jawsh: The drama behind the song that's hot on the Tok"
634:"Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' tortures Auckland residents"
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606:"Meet the Auckland Boys Who Blast Celine Dion from Tiny Bikes"
126:, later becoming a global hit when sampled by American singer
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The music produced to be used in siren battles is known as
296:. Most siren jams are shared online through sites such as
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Siren kings featured prominently in
Pasifika photographer
36:
Siren beat producer Mizgf.C, standing with his modified
114:. In 2020, siren beat producer and high school student
334:", becoming one of the most successful songs of 2020.
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The origins of the siren scene are the early 2000s in
792:"Speakers stolen from NZ's largest primary school"
820:"Emergency sirens stolen from rural fire brigade"
874:Edmonds, Elesha; Carnegie, Tom (20 July 2016).
1020:"Auckland bike crews battle to be the loudest"
532:Hockley, Joe; McClure, Tess (14 August 2021).
485:Brown, Jacob; Grace, Ursula (12 August 2021).
151:battles include carparks and reserves around
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818:Tapaleao, Vaimoana (19 February 2016).
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1077:Caramanica, Jon (28 September 2020).
764:"Auckland gangs join speaker battles"
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902:Earley, Melanie (16 February 2022).
846:Callahan, Caley (20 December 2020).
571:Borrowdale, James (13 August 2021).
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762:Lynn, Alastair (26 February 2016).
663:Earley, Melanie (8 February 2022).
225:", are staple songs of siren events
1161:Sotire, Timi (30 September 2020).
1018:Wilkins, Alice (6 February 2016).
604:Edwards, Aubrey (8 January 2016).
71:, to win the title of siren king.
27:Pasifika subculture in New Zealand
25:
966:Victoria University of Wellington
790:Ward, Lynley (11 December 2015).
731:Tokalau, Torika (13 July 2018).
696:Tokalau, Torika (21 July 2018).
632:Tokalau, Torika (14 June 2019).
213:Music by French Canadian singer
132:Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)
1133:Marinner, Chris (26 May 2020).
1046:Latif, Justin (20 March 2022).
987:Sunday News (6 February 2016).
399:Latif, Justin (20 March 2022).
146:, New Zealand, primarily among
1281:Polynesian-New Zealand culture
1:
344:Boombox#Cultural significance
1105:Adams, Josie (19 May 2020).
315:saw success after his song "
307:In 2020, siren jam producer
241:, pulled apart radios, and
47:are members of a primarily
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487:"Young and a Siren King"
493:. Season 1. Episode 6.
85:Metropolitan Wellington
40:, used in siren battles
1236:Cycling in New Zealand
1140:The New Zealand Herald
825:The New Zealand Herald
797:The New Zealand Herald
239:public address systems
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199:Young and a Siren King
67:) attached to cars or
65:public address systems
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284:, the songs focus on
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1301:Vehicle modification
1261:Music of New Zealand
122:" became popular on
1256:Musical subcultures
1221:Culture in Auckland
933:(9 February 2022).
455:amp.theguardian.com
378:amp.theguardian.com
271:My Heart Will Go On
223:My Heart Will Go On
185:'s 2019 exhibition
1276:Music of Polynesia
1084:The New York Times
317:Laxed (Siren Beat)
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120:Laxed (Siren Beat)
77:Te Atatū Peninsula
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1266:New Zealand slang
1246:Modified vehicles
457:. 24 October 2023
380:. 24 October 2023
267:The Power of Love
219:The Power of Love
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1216:Competitions
1174:29 September
1172:. Retrieved
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1144:. Retrieved
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1118:29 September
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539:The Guardian
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1296:Subcultures
1251:Motor clubs
1241:DIY culture
1211:Car culture
1112:The Spinoff
1053:The Spinoff
946:21 February
940:Newstalk ZB
915:21 February
491:Young And..
405:The Spinoff
332:Savage Love
319:" became a
263:Celine Dion
217:, such as "
215:Celine Dion
197:, entitled
187:Double Take
96:siren beats
45:Siren kings
1190:Categories
676:8 February
360:References
354:Car tuning
235:megaphones
100:siren jams
1271:Nightlife
887:4 October
309:Jawsh 685
243:Bluetooth
153:Henderson
118:'s song "
116:Jawsh 685
18:Siren jam
1146:4 August
1059:20 March
349:Bōsōzoku
338:See also
313:Manurewa
161:Onehunga
157:Avondale
148:Pasifika
69:bicycles
49:Pasifika
1025:Newshub
853:Newshub
461:4 March
435:4 March
426:"Stuff"
410:4 March
384:4 March
298:YouTube
269:" and "
221:" and "
165:Māngere
138:History
89:Porirua
73:Māngere
38:bicycle
1291:Sirens
321:TikTok
302:TikTok
286:treble
282:dembow
278:reggae
255:treble
159:, the
124:TikTok
112:treble
108:dembow
104:reggae
994:Stuff
909:Stuff
881:Stuff
769:Stuff
738:Stuff
703:Stuff
670:Stuff
639:Stuff
311:from
288:over
257:over
249:Music
1176:2021
1148:2020
1120:2021
1092:2021
1061:2022
1033:2021
1002:2021
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861:2021
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805:2021
777:2021
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711:2021
678:2022
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611:Vice
588:2021
581:TVNZ
547:2021
502:2021
495:TVNZ
463:2024
437:2024
412:2024
386:2024
324:meme
300:and
290:bass
280:and
273:".
265:'s "
259:bass
195:TVNZ
106:and
1168:NME
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