TSENATE Drops New Single “ALL IN,” A Playful Anthem Leading Sophomore EP 'ALL IN'
Rising R&B sensation TSENATE has released her latest single ‘ALL IN,’ the leading track from her upcoming sophomore EP ‘ALL IN’ - a cheeky and liberating track that invites listeners into a new era of the artist’s musical and personal journey.
Rising R&B sensation TSENATE has released her latest single ‘ALL IN,’ the leading track from her upcoming sophomore EP ‘ALL IN’. Written by TSENATE and produced by HAMLEY, ‘ALL IN’ is a cheeky and liberating track that invites listeners into a new era of the artist’s musical and personal journey.
The release is accompanied by a vibrant lyric video, directed and edited by Zara Fahey and Michelle Kilburn, featuring behind-the-scenes moments from the press shoot, photographed by Alice Naish.
ALL IN now available on all streaming platforms
Following a successful debut headline show at The Workers Club Fitzroy to an enthusiastic crowd, TSENATE is stepping wholeheartedly into the spotlight as one of Melbourne’s most exciting new voices.
Sonically, ‘ALL IN’ dives into a pop-R&B fusion, drawing inspiration from genre-defining artists like Victoria Monét, Tate McRae, and Tinashe. The track ventures into more dynamic production styles and layered vocal textures, reflecting TSENATE’s growing confidence both on and off stage.
‘ALL IN’ is TSENATE like you've never heard her before. Bold, sensual, and completely unfiltered. TSENATE shares “this song represents an exciting time where I was discovering a new, playful side of myself that I hadn’t fully tapped into yet.”
Fresh From a Scholarship Writing Camp in Seattle and LA Writing Sessions, 17 YO Imani-J Releases Her Debut EP ‘EXPECTATIONS’
This September 4, the singer-songwriter, dancer, and performer will release her debut EP, ‘EXPECTATIONS’ - a deeply personal project exploring the pressures she places on herself, as well as those from relationships, identity, school, and career.
At just 17, Imani-J is already carving out a powerful voice in the R&B and Afrobeats scene.
This September 4, the singer-songwriter, dancer, and performer will release her debut EP, ‘EXPECTATIONS’ - a deeply personal project exploring the pressures she places on herself, as well as those from relationships, identity, school, and career.
In July, Imani-J travelled to the US for a writing trip in LA and Seattle, performing internationally at Seattle’s The Kitchen and collaborating with Max Levin, Bam Marley (embargoed), Antoine Harris. This September, she’ll take her sound even further with a three-week writing residency in London, working alongside UK producers Subculture, BINA, Dom Valentino, and GG.
Career Highlights So Far:
• Scholarship recipient for Prodigy Writing Camp, Seattle — mentored by Chapell Roan (embargoed)
• First international performance at The Kitchen, Seattle
• Studio collaborations in LA with Bam Marley (embargoed), Max Levin, and Antoine Harris
• Winner of Victoria Vibes Festival opening slot, Auckland
• Afrobeats Stage performance at Newtown Festival, Wellington
• Three-day APRA mentorship with Tiki Taane
• Music sync on Shortland Street with track “Blue Goodbyes”
Upcoming:
• Opening act for Where’s Jai — San Fran, Wellington (Aug 23)
• Writing residency in London — Sept 6–20
• Second international performance — The Grace, Islington, London (September 17)
• Summer tour planned for 2025/26
Crystal Chen Opens Her Heart in Soulful New Ballad Stop. — A Tender Prelude to Her Debut Album Announcement You Can Call Me CC
Today, Chinese-New Zealand singer, musician, and visual artist Crystal Chen shares her new single, “Stop.” and announces her debut studio album You can call me CC releasing on Friday 5th September 2025.
Today, Chinese-New Zealand singer, musician, and visual artist Crystal Chen shares her new single, “Stop.” and announces her debut studio album You can call me CC releasing on Friday 5th September 2025.
Since 2022, Crystal Chen has been carving out a space uniquely her own, crafting songs that reflect her most authentic self with each release. Her 2024 standout singles “Love Letter” and “Kiss It Better” are powerful testaments to that evolution, ushering in a bold new chapter: the beginning of her debut studio album, You can call me CC.
Stop. is a slow-burning, tender ballad that glows with lush live instrumentation, capturing the intimacy of Crystal’s jazz and soul influences. Inspired by the emotional core of cult classic movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the song explores the desire to forget someone and escape the weight of their memory, yet ultimately surrenders to the beauty and ache of having loved at all. Rather than avoiding the pain, “Stop.” embraces it, offering a touching reflection on loss, memory, and acceptance.
Drawing inspiration from the soulful elegance of Minnie Riperton and the classic charm of Burt Bacharach, the song blends ‘70s ballad nostalgia with a modern emotional edge – a seamless fusion of Crystal and producer Joe Kaptein’s shared vision and artistry. Originally written with Noema Te Hau with New Music Development funding from NZ On Air as an intimate acoustic piece about heartbreak, the track found new life in Joe’s hands. His lush arrangement, sparkling with delicate percussion and expressive keyboard solos, beautifully frames Crystal’s tender harmonies as she explores themes of longing and disconnection with raw vulnerability.
The cover image of the song features a self-portrait of CC alongside the rare annual-night-blooming flower ‘The Queen of the Night’, which was grown and cared for by her own mother since she was a child. Crystal says “Stop.” is inspired by this special moment when the flower finally blooms, saying that, “Love to me feels like ‘The Queen of the Night’ flower. I adore and cherish its presence, yet I face the grief of its loss when I wake up the next day and the flower has wilted. I can find comfort that it may or may not bloom year after year, because everything is a cycle. Just like how when I first wrote this song I was heartbroken, but eventually found myself in a new relationship after the song was completed with the album”.
“Stop.” is the final single before her debut studio album You can call me CC releases on Friday 5th September, with an upcoming live show planned for early September.
Watch KISS IT BETTER music video out now — made with support from NZ On Air.
Find Crystal Chen online
Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube | Bandcamp | Website
dān dān announces end of august (hand-pulled noodles)
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland-based folk-pop artist dān dān returns with her second solo single, end of august (hand-pulled noodles). A bittersweet reflection on distance, desire, and the quiet ache of making peace with something as it slips away.
AUDIO & VISUALISER OUT FRIDAY 30 AUGUST
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland-based folk-pop artist dān dān returns with her second solo single, end of august (hand-pulled noodles).
A bittersweet reflection on distance, desire, and the quiet ache of making peace with something as it slips away.
As one half of wasian sibling duo Ersha Island 二沙岛, dān dān has been known for her bilingual storytelling and emotionally rich compositions. Her solo work leans into the playful and poetic, exploring food, identity, and culture with softness and clarity.
Following the success of her debut single ‘pressure cooker’ supported by NZ On Air and featured on Rolling Stone Australia/NZ - dān dān continues to craft a distinct space for diasporic voices in contemporary indie-pop.
”‘end of august (hand-pulled noodles)’ is about the feeling of knowing something’s ending before it actually does, and being okay with that. It’s about turning what could be bitter into something tender, something sweet, something worth savouring, even as as you watch it inevitably slip away.” dān dān shares.
Produced by Dan Martin with strings featuring sibling Tee Hao-Aickin, the track blends warm acoustics with layered harmonies and ambient textures, sitting somewhere between Lizzy McAlpine and a favourite comfort meal.
With an accompanying visualiser shot in Xi’An Food Bar on Dominion Road, end of august (hand-pulled noodles) sets the stage for dān dān’s upcoming debut EP — a gentle, self-assured project about food, love, and growing up between cultures.
Praise for pressure cooker
dān dān’s debut single pressure cooker made waves across Aotearoa and beyond, with its delicate storytelling and bilingual lyricism drawing attention from fans and press alike.
Juice TV: #1 in Top 20 Most Streamed Videos
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: Cover artist of
Best New Zealand Music of the Week: June 23rd-29th
“dān dān’s smooth vocal textures carry the evocative lyrics flawlessly as percussive arrangements and flowing key patterns ensue, enriched only by the creamy string work courtesy of the violin.”
“pressure cooker is not merely a melody to be heard; it is to be experienced… Sincere, sentimental and filled with raw human emotion… If this is her debut single, I cannot wait for more from this talented musician.”
“A soaring ballad… ”
The track was named Song of the Day by The 13th Floor, featured in Kick Drum Magazine,
profiled by AsianTones, and spotlighted on TAHI FM, Radio One 91FM, 95bFM, and mpre.
Made with the support of NZ On Air, pressure cooker was accompanied by a surrealist music video (with over 46k views on YouTube) inspired by Everything Everywhere All At Once, praised for its tender portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship across cultural and emotional universes.
The RVMES release new single Any Better Reason and announce upcoming 11-track album Boundary Issues and NZ tour
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland - based band The RVMES are back with their mesmerizing new single Any Better Reason. It's a dark and rolling alt-rock track that sings about the unspoken connection you have with friends and family who will always have your back.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland - based band The RVMES are back with their mesmerizing new single Any Better Reason released via AAA Records. It's a dark and rolling alt-rock track that sings about the unspoken connection you have with friends and family who will always have your back.
Stream Any Better Reason here.
The single arrives alongside a one-take music video by TeMuri, shot at double speed before being slowed to match frontman Edwin Judd’s lips — and his sweet (and some may say questionable) dance moves. It’s a dreamy ride that pairs perfectly with the song's sonic signature.
Watch the Official Music Video here.
On top of all that excitement, The RVMES have just officially announced the release of their newest 11-track album Boundary Issues set for release on September 5th matched with an impressive NZ tour.
BOUNDARY ISSUES TOUR
THE RVMES
SEP 6 - Big Fan, Auckland
Support from Mojo Smooth & Velveteen Shakes
SEP 12 - Beer & Loathing, Whangarei
Support from OSHEEN & Mojo Smooth
SEP 19 - Waihi Beach Hotel, Waihi
Support from Strangely Arousing & Mojo Smooth
SEP 20 - The Yard, Raglan
Support from Retro Valley & Mojo Smooth
SEP 26 - Butlers Reef, New Plymouth
Support from The Mara & Mojo Smooth
SEP 27 - Meow, Wellington
Support from Devon Welch & Fortuna + Roy (DJ)
OCT 3 - Crabfarm Winery, Napier
Support from Nick Herbison & Mojo Smooth
OCT 4 - Smash Palace, Gisborne
Support TBA
Hannah Virk Releases Captivating New Album 'Pocket Clocks'
Featuring the futuristic single ‘Can’t Outpace the Algorithm’, the album showcases Hannah’s skills both as a singer-songwriter and budding producer, blending different beats and delving into the complexities of new technologies.
On Sunday 10th August 2025 Aotearoa New Zealand singer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Hannah Virk released her second album - the experimental and unabashed Pocket Clocks.
Featuring the futuristic single ‘Can’t Outpace the Algorithm’, the album showcases Hannah’s skills both as a singer-songwriter and budding producer, blending different beats and delving into the complexities of new technologies. Alongside this are songs Musos Club, which harks back to Hannah’s teenage days and Necklace from a Friend, a catchy pop song about hopes for a romance that could have been. The album is an exciting step for Hannah – who began here musical career after getting a guitar at age 30 and letting her creativity bloom.
In Hannah’s words, “Having only started my musical journey later in life, Pocket Clocks goes back and pulls through moments where I might have been inspired to write had I been in the mindset. In writing these songs as an adult, the moments are connected to their influence in the present and explore how those experiences shape us going forward. The songs on the album contrast different aspects of time - being the spontaneity of a split second (Glens) and the way that time passes by (Slowly Biting Youth).
Hannah Virks debut album, 2024’s Upstairs/Downstairs, launched her into the musical community of Aotearoa, putting her on the map as an independent artist. Hannah has found strength in the creative arts scene in her hometown of Wellington where she has been sharing her new found passions at Open Mic Nights across the city and hosted her own show 30 songs:30 years at the Wellington Fringe Festival 2025. She is determined to share her story with the hopes of inspiring others to unleash their creative talents. Upping the quirkiness and intrigue from her first release, Pocket Clocks delivers even more of the authenticity that Hannah has to offer.
Release Show
Hannah will be launching Pocket Clocks at a release show at the Undercurrent, Bookstore and Music Venue, Wellington Sunday November 2nd at 1pm. Hannah will be performing songs from her first album Upstairs/Downstairs and debuting live acoustic performances of her second album Pocket Clocks, released in August 2025.
Michaela Tempers set to release fourth single ‘Saintly’
An ode to medieval heroines, legacy, and to owning her own story, the soul-influenced song is accompanied by a richly animated music video inspired by symbols of saints, prayer and self-liberation.
Aotearoa indie label Home Alone are proud to share Michaela Tempers’ fourth single ‘Saintly’ is out on August 13th. An ode to medieval heroines, legacy, and to owning her own story, the soul-influenced song is accompanied by a richly animated music video inspired by symbols of saints, prayer and self-liberation. Created in collaboration with award-winning animator, Candice Mac, the video unfolds hand-in-hand with the lyrics: I am a heroine going slowly, I am a hundred years of war, I am Henry the VIII of England with his back against the wall.
“I was raised in an orthodox religion,” Tempers explains, “and this song was written about the very painful, very messy reality of breaking up with your faith.”
‘Saintly’ is the fourth instalment of the Good Woman EP, which is due out later this year. It was recorded at the Surgery Studios with Lee Prebble and an all-star folk band featuring members from French for Rabbits, Dateline and Louis TM, with Chris Armour on guitar, Dayle Jellyman on organ, Hikurangi Schaverien-Kaa on drums, Phoebe Johnson on bass and harmonies, and Brooke Singer and Penelope Esplin on additional backing vocals.
Groove Incorporated Share New Pop/R&B Single : “All As One”
Music collective Groove Incorporated has released their latest single, “All As One”, a melodic pop/R&B track that blends smooth vocals, a memorable guitar riff, and reflective lyrics that speak to the current global climate.
AUCKLAND, NZ – Music collective Groove Incorporated has released their latest single, “All As One”, a melodic pop/R&B track that blends smooth vocals, a memorable guitar riff, and reflective lyrics that speak to the current global climate.
The song’s lyrics touch on themes of unity and resilience in the face of global challenges — from the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to climate change and economic inequality. At its core, “All As One” is an invitation to consider how collaboration and empathy can shape a better future.
“We wanted to write something that felt personal, but also relevant — something that could connect across different experiences,” says Groove Incorporated.
Led with female vocals, the track features layered harmonies and a laid-back groove, with a subtle message that encourages collective awareness without preaching.
A music video is due for release on August 16, following the track’s launch on all major streaming platforms.
STREAMING NOW ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS
Spotify • Apple Music • YouTube • Tidal