LOU’ANA on jazz roots, disco energy, and performing without limits

Currently mid tour, LOU’ANA brings a sound shaped by jazz training and driven by disco energy. Years of live performance have honed a voice that feels bold, expressive, and full of character. In this interview, she reflects on the path that shaped her, the shift away from rigid structure,

Deva Mahal embarks on a nationwide tour to bring her latest EP to life

Some artists arrive with hype. Others carry presence. Deva Mahal has always sat in the second camp, and this April she will return to stages across Aotearoa with an eight-date tour supporting her new EP FUTURE CLASSIC VOL II: FUTURE, out Friday March 27. The run opens at the Waiheke

IA discuss collaboration and honouring tikanga on new single Rerehua

‘Rerehua’ is the third single from duo IA’s EP Tawhiti – a groovy, melodic body of work that develops on the soul and R&B textures they’ve become known for over the last five years. Featuring soul artist Jordyn with a Why, the waiata explores themes of community

Greer Castle talks instinct, intimacy, and finding her voice

Fresh out of Pōneke, Greer Castle is moving into a new chapter with a clear sense of self and a growing reputation to match. From early recognition on national stages to her move to study jazz in Sydney, her path is already gaining momentum. In this interview, she reflects on

Evie Bamford finds calm resolve with lush indie single Through the Day

After the offbeat charm of her debut Money Bag, Tāmaki Makaurau based songwriter Evie Bamford shares Through the Day, a track that drifts with reflection and slow-burning resolve. Self produced and rich in texture, the song folds indie rock guitars around cello, clarinet and soft vocal harmonies, creating a warm

Tali steps into her EMPRESS ERA, reflecting on survival and strength

Few artists in Aotearoa’s electronic scene carry a story as wide ranging as Tali. From a dairy farm in Taranaki to the heart of the UK drum and bass movement, her path has moved through rave culture, jazz exploration, songwriting, teaching, and international touring. Now she enters a new

Beth Elsden captures the long road to blooming with Losing You Slow

Beth Elsden introduces her debut single Losing You Slow with a sound that sits inside dreamlike synth pop and quiet emotional pull. The track moves through soft melodic phrasing before lifting into escalating vocal hooks, balancing restraint with intention. Her background in musical theatre and choral performance shape the arrangement.

Sophie Aston teaches us to rise from the flames of grief with Stardust

Following the release of her debut ‘Better,’ Waiheke-based singer-songwriter Sophie Aston returns with her latest single, ‘Stardust,’ an uplifting yet vulnerable and reflective exploration of grief and rebirth.  Sophie continues to affirm herself as an established songwriter with this track, using poetic lyricism to weave together symbols of fire, the

Reuben Bonner on risk, discovery, and building the world of Strange Universe

Few people have shaped the path of independent touring in Aotearoa quite like Reuben Bonner. Through his work with Banished Music, Bonner has spent years bringing adventurous international acts to local stages while championing artists from across the country. His latest venture, Strange Universe, expands that vision into a loose

Emme Lentino taps into the healing power of music with new single Because of You

Music often shows up when words fail. For Emme Lentino, it arrived in the middle of grief and became a way forward. Now based in Aotearoa after growing up in Oregon, Lentino releases her new single Because of You as a statement of survival and renewal. The song was written

Jenni Smith turns comparison into a clever pop country confessional with Mirror

What starts as a joke can turn into a question that sticks. For Jenni Smith, that question became her new single Mirror. Growing up, her mum liked to compare her to famous brunettes. Anne Hathaway. Emma Watson. Keira Knightley. It sounded flattering, yet it planted a strange idea. If someone

Live at the Domain sends Auckland back to the pop-punk 2000s

Wintergardens to the left, Sky Tower and palm trees to the right, Live at the Domain brings an electric energy to Tāmaki Makaurau's favourite park on Friday night. Tadpole, one of Aotearoa’s most influential rock bands, and alt-rock royalty Yellowcard have already warmed festival goers, kicking off