Saski unveils debut glittering new single ‘Parachute’
Aotearoa’s electric indie-pop artist Saski has just dropped her stunning debut single Parachute, out today. A delicately uplifting song of reassurance, layered in expansive soundscapes.
Aotearoa’s electric indie-pop artist Saski has just dropped her stunning debut single Parachute, out today. A delicately uplifting song of reassurance, layered in expansive soundscapes.
Listen to Parachute HERE
Vast synths, atmospheric piano and dreamy soundscapes define the Saski sound, with Saski’s (AKA Mikhail Birch) smooth, delicate vocals taking each song into new, emotive and introspective places. Parachute is an indie-pop adventure, woven together by a story of heartache, nostalgia, reflection and hope.
“It’s an exploration of Saski, a variety of different sounds that are all stamped and sealed with authenticity and lots of feels,” explains Saski.
“The single Parachute is raw and earnest, going back to the soul of Saski as a song-writer. I wanted it to feel very human and have a physical space allowing the lyrics to stay insular and introverted.”
The emotive new single ‘Parachute’ features as the focus track a new wave of Saski a song full of heartfelt piano and striking violin for a raw insistent reassurance.
“The song is honest,” says Saski. “It’s been a challenging past few years for most and to be more vulnerable in my song-writing, to go back to my roots of expressing myself through dreamy soundscapes and honest narratives has been refreshing”
‘Parachute’ follows Saski’s EP GOLDEN HOURS, with the successful releases ‘Fading Out Slowly’, ‘Pretty Little Island’ and ‘Golden Hours’.
After travelling the globe and primarily being based in the US, Nelson-born Saski has had an impressive string of releases. With her first single ‘Faking Bright’ now at over 10 million plays on Spotify alone, her follow up singles ‘Independent’ and ‘Set Fire’ also sit at over 1.5 millions plays each.
Parachute is a journey into the electric Saski sound of rich, expansive soundscapes and dreamy vibes. Sit back, immerse yourself and enjoy the ride!
Listen to Parachute HERE
Find Saski:
The Aotearoa Music Producer Series, Panel Discussion.
At 7pm on November 20th The Aotearoa Music Producer Series (AMPS) the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific along with Recorded Music New Zealand will be hosting a panel discussion celebrating the use of Cymraeg, the Welsh language, and te reo Māori within the contemporary music industry in both Wales and Aotearoa.
The Aotearoa Music Producer Series (AMPS) launched in 2017 and has become an integral part of up-skilling Aotearoa’s music production sector.
AMPS Mix Me 23 sees the return of international guests and will feature a series of workshops focused on the art of mixing in a wide variety of musical genres. The workshops will be a combination of paid and free events and will take place at venues around the motu.
At 7pm on November 20th The Aotearoa Music Producer Series (AMPS) the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific along with Recorded Music New Zealand will be hosting a panel discussion celebrating the use of Cymraeg, the Welsh language, and te reo Māori within the contemporary music industry in both Wales and Aotearoa. The event will take place at Roundhead Studios in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The panel will be moderated by Dafydd Sills-Jones Acting Head of Te Kura Whakapāho (AUT School of Communication Studies) and a member of the Critical Media Studies department, with panel guests including Welsh musician and producer David Wrench, educator and artist Theia / Te Kaahu (Waikato-Tainui, Ngaati Tiipa) musician and actor Troy Kingi (Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) and Māori musician, Wairehu Grant (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) who recently returned from an exchange in Wales supported by the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific. Rounding off the panel is AMPS organiser and Welsh music producer Greg Haver.
A limited number of tickets will be available for this free event available through Eventbrite https://linktr.ee/amps2023. The evening will be filmed and made available online.
AMPS Mix Me 23 is made possible with the support of our partners: NZ On Air, The New Zealand Music Commission, The British Council New Zealand and the Pacific, APRA AMCOS NZ, The Music Producers Guild NZ / Aotearoa, Recorded Music New Zealand, SAE Auckland, Auckland UNESCO City of Music and Protel International Technologies.
Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt show comes to Levin
Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt is a unique show that celebrates the Whanganui River and the stories of its people. It is made up of sixteen original compositions by Elizabeth de Vegt using poems from Airini Beautrais’ collection Flow: Whanganui River Poems (VUP2017) as lyrical inspiration.
From our near neighbour of Whanganui, The Flow Collective, are bringing a new show to The Ohau Hall. Presented by Dale’s Acoustic Live Events; Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt is a unique show that celebrates the Whanganui River and the stories of its people. It is made up of sixteen original compositions by Elizabeth de Vegt using poems from Airini Beautrais’ collection Flow: Whanganui River Poems (VUP2017) as lyrical inspiration. The compositions celebrate Beautrais’ poems by exploring traditional and contemporary musical forms, including jazz, working songs, sea shanties, folk, country and pop. More importantly, this unique creative collaboration elevates the stories at its core ensuring they continue to be shared and remembered.
The show features composer Elizabeth de Vegt (lead vocals, piano, guitar) with accompanists Andrew Wetherall (guitar), Hamish Jellyman (bass and backing vocals), Brad McMillan (Drums) and Elise Goodge (taonga puoro and backing vocals). The group is known as The Flow Collective.
Composer Elizabeth de Vegt (Lizzie) completed her Masters in Music majoring in Composition at Waikato University. She had the support of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation for her creative studies, including traveling to America to attend Bang on a Can. Her contemporary classical compositions have been performed internationally and by the NZSO.
Lizzie says, “We were thrilled to receive Dale’s invitation to perform at The Ohau Hall. We love performing the show in unique and quintessentially New Zealand venues and this venue is certainly that.”
Throughout the writing process for the show, the musicians worked with Te Rūnanga o Tūpoho. Renowned Whanganui artist and designer Cecelia Kumeroa, Tūpoho Arts Representative, and Sacha Te Utupoto Keating generously agreed to consult on the project. Their advice resulted in some alterations, and also affirmation that the music appropriately represents the Māori stories and kaupapa referenced within.
Flow: Beautrais x de Vegt will be performed at The Ohau Hall, Sunday 19 November at 3pm. Doors open at 2.30pm, tickets are available from Under the Radar. Admission is $20. Cash door sales, CDs and programmes will be on sale on the day. For further information about the show visit www.flowalbum.com.
BACKGROUND
In the same year, 2017, the Te Awa Tupua Bill was passed in parliament, granting the Whanganui River legal personhood, Okham Award Winner, Airini Beautrais, released a collection of poetry named Flow. Published by Victoria University Press Te Herenga Waka, Flow explores the Whanganui River from its geological formations to its people and its history, both Māori and colonial. In her review of the book Elizabeth Morton writes, “With Beautrais’ collection, every poem feels necessarily placed, perfectly considered, and yet surprising. This is a work that demonstrates the potency of this poet, her range, and her ability to use language to take the reader dancing.”
It was the breadth of poetic form, demonstrated in this collection, that first inspired Whanganui based composer, Elizabeth de Vegt, to set some of her poems to music. De Vegt completed a Masters of Music, with first class honours and was the Creative Performing Arts Person of the Year in 2009 at The University of Waikato. It was late in 2020, after a difficult year of lockdowns, interrupted work and two small children to care for that de Vegt found compositional inspiration in Flow and approached Beautrais for permission to work with her words.
The compositions were premiered to a live audience in March of 2021 in an outdoor setting, overlooking the Whanganui River, the creative life blood of the project. It was after this first public airing that de Vegt, again with Beautrais’ blessing, embarked on the next phase of the project and enlisted more Whanganui musical talent, Hamish Jellyman, Andrew Wetherall, Brad McMillan and Elise Goodge to add further flesh to her compositions. Facilitating percussive and melodic layers and adding Taonga Puoro (traditional Māori musical instruments) to appropriate stories within the songs.
The culmination of this project is the show and album Flow - Beautrais x de Vegt.
"This is a gorgeous album, timeless in its approach, and beautiful in all facets."
Kev Rowland - Music Net NZ
"She brought Airini's words into a whole new world, and all five musicians played as one throughout. Only a special outfit can do that. Did I mention the smiles? There were lots, from band and audience alike."
Michael Tweed - NZME
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgl3t9d23txB64qDhYjME-w
Listen: https://ororecordsnz.bandcamp.com/album/flow
Website: www.flowalbum.com
Band instagram https://www.instagram.com/TheFlowCollectiveNZ/
Band Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheFlowCollectiveNZ/
Rising NZ’s ‘country honey with grit’ Steffany Beck unveils empowering new single, ‘Foot Down’
Portland-raised, Ōtautahi-based country-pop singer and songwriter Steffany Beck has unveiled her strength-giving, gritty new single, ‘Foot Down’.
Portland-raised, Ōtautahi-based country-pop singer and songwriter Steffany Beck has unveiled her strength-giving, gritty new single, ‘Foot Down’.
Listen to ‘Foot Down’ HERE
This self-empowerment track is full of country-pop-rock goodness and sings about learning to know your worth and stand your ground.
“As a recovering people pleaser, this song’s about drawing a line in the sand, putting your foot down and saying, I call the shots,” says Steffany. “I want ‘Foot Down’ to empower others to navigate their own path and make the world a better place by healing & loving themselves.”
This single has definitely been given star treatment. Recorded with award-winning producer Ben Edwards at the Sitting Room in Christchurch’s Lyttelton.
“Once we finished all the music for track and was time to do the vocals, Ben and I got talking about our ancestries. I’m 1/64 Native American Indian from both the Cherokee and Apache Indian tribes, and was almost named after my great great grandmother Gertrude Mantooth. While we were talking, I had a feeling she wanted to be present on the track, so asked Ben if we could just hit record and see what happens. This voice I didn’t know I had, came out. Like my own interpretation of an inspired chanting-like voice. We were both feeling this vibe and Ben said he had never played around with a sound like this before, so we continued to explore the voice which we both ended up absolutely loving and decided to have on the final track. For me it really elevated the track by creating a feeling of my ancestors cheering me on and guiding me along a path to self-empowerment.”
Still to come, this self-described ‘country honey with grit’ has a music video on its way, and she’s also set to put her ‘foot down’ on stages to charm audiences at the upcoming Selwyn Fireworks show (4 November), The New Zealand Agricultural Show’s main stage (17 November), Christchurch Coca Cola Christmas in the Park (25 November), South Island Wine & Food Festival (2 December, alongside Kaylee Bell and The Black Seeds) and The Village Inn Sumner Single Release Show with special guests The Nick Burson Band and Miranda Easten (15 December).
Steffany Beck is a country pop singer-songwriter known for her Alanis Morisette meets country Taylor Swift voice and heartfelt songs. Steffany has an impressive list of career highlights, including releasing her debut EP - BLUE EYED GIRL in 2019, writing songs with celebrated Aotearoa singer-songwriter Bic Runga and performing live with another music legend Jason Kerrison (lead singer from Opshop), winning a national songwriting competition - and just this past summer she performed in Christmas in the Park, NZ Spirit Festival, TSB Festival of Lights, Summer Sundays and many more! With more music and shows to come, now’s the time to put your foot down and become a fan of Steffany Beck - cause she’s just getting started!
Listen to ‘Foot Down’ HERE
Find Steffany Beck
Emerging Aotearoa star Eve Kelly brings theatre & groove to fun new pop single, ‘Boy’
Aotearoa singer-songwriter Eve Kelly has today unveiled her super fun and catchy new pop single, ‘Boy’.
Aotearoa singer-songwriter Eve Kelly has today unveiled her super fun and catchy new pop single, ‘Boy’.
Listen to ‘Boy’ HERE
‘Boy’ is a soul-pop song with a hot syncopated beat and Lily Allen vibes. Along with Eve’s strong performance and vocal delivery, the song’s quirky story and wonderful audio layers are what draw you in and make this track memorable - including the phone ring that kicks off the track.
“It’s about a lady falling in love with her insurance guy over the phone,” laughs Eve. “The concept started with the intention of writing about when you’re into someone and you’re pretty sure they’re into you too, but then it kinda just fell into this quirky story about a lady who fell in love with her insurance guy over the phone. The whole vibe of the song is going more in the direction of the type of music/genre I like to listen to, and that's exciting.”
‘Boy’ is definitely an exciting and fresh new offering, showcasing Eve as an artist continuing to step it up and fast becoming one to watch. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Auckland's Parachute Studios, Eve worked with Christian Tjandrawinata and Jeremiah Jayden Fale to bring ‘Boy’ to life.
Also out today is a sweet lyric video made by Shaun Greaves. The video perfectly brings to life the feel of the song with its clouds, cupid and heart animations.
Watch the video HERE
A natural performer, Eve has been gracing the stage since she was 5 years old. Her classically trained background and career in Musical performance has helped Eve find her footing as a songwriter, with her sound developing into a whimsical mix of adult contemporary, gospel, soul, funk and pop. Today’s release follows Eve’s previously released singles ‘Mr Big Shot’ (2023, #4 RDU Top 10, SRN, The Project), ‘Dance with Me’ and debut ‘Gotta Let Go’ (2022). She can be found between her hometown of Whakatāne, Auckland and Christchurch - where she performs her own shows and in musical theatre productions. Eve Kelly is an artist going from strength to strength, so make sure you’re tuned in, check out ‘Boy’ and follow her socials!
Listen to ‘Boy’ HERE
Watch the video HERE
NZ’s rock n’ roller Sam Cullen releases rousing new single + video ‘The Cold Midwinter’
Off the back of a huge 10-stop NZ spring tour celebrating his hit single ‘Forever’, emerging rock n’ roller Sam Cullen has today unveiled his rousing new single ‘The Cold Midwinter’.
Off the back of a huge 10-stop NZ spring tour celebrating his hit single ‘Forever’, emerging rock n’ roller Sam Cullen has today unveiled his rousing new single ‘The Cold Midwinter’.
Listen to ‘The Cold Midwinter’ HERE
Described as an introspective snapshot of home, ‘The Cold Midwinter’ is an honest, catchy, raucous rock n roll track that hits you like a freight train - physically and emotionally. In time, it’s sure to have the whole pub, club and car singing at the top of their lungs.
“This song is me down to the ground,” says Sam. “It feels like it’s in a rush, which is what I feel like all the bloody time. It’s about my experiences as a teenager in pub culture and noticing the place that I’m from. It’s also about growing up out of your teenage years and realising your own flaws and weaknesses.”
The 23-year-old multi-instrumentalist and songwriter grew up in the deep south, Invercargill, honing his craft performing in Southland pubs. With genuine lyrics drawn from lived experience and a rock and roll meets pop driving energy, the now Auckland-based artist is a force to be reckoned with. “For me, ‘The Cold Midwinter’ is the kind of song that arrives once in a blue moon. I’d had the opening verse written for months, which I am so proud of, but it was a long time before I found the rest of the song. Mainly because it’s so honest. It took a moment there to open up to myself.”
Made with the support of NZ on Air, the track was recorded mostly in Sam’s bedroom with the exception of the drums, some vocal and synth parts, which were recorded at Parachute Studios with Ben Malone. Ben also mixed the track before sending it to KOG Studio to be mastered by Chris Chetland. ‘The Cold Midwinter’ is the second track from Sam’s next body of work, which follows the release earlier this year of single ‘Forever’, a song that garnered great local support from industry and media, including RNZ, Hauraki, The Edge, ZM and the Student Radio Network.
Also being released today is a very special music video created by celebrated creative Dave Thomson of Imaginary Friends and filmed at Invercargill’s Rugby Park Stadium, where Sam’s Grandfather was the groundskeeper for over a decade and his Dad worked onsite for a number of years until 2022. “Being filmed at home was a huge part of it and it’s such a special location for me” says Sam. “It was important to me that the video looked as epic as the song sounds, so location wise, Rugby Park and its huge stadium lights were perfect on camera. In some shots you can see my breath. It was cold, and it was winter. We also had a lot of visual and colour cues we wanted to work with and Dave absolutely nailed the vibe.”
Watch the video HERE
On a roll with touring, to celebrate today’s release, Sam and his band have two special shows booked - Auckland at Anthology Lounge 24 November (more info + tickets from UTR HERE), and Invercargill at Rocking Horse @ The Races 16 December (more info + tickets HERE).
Over the past 3 years, Sam Cullen has released two EP’s (1000x (2000) & RUN (2022)), played on some of NZ’s biggest stages (including main stage at Rhythm & Vines), sold out a number of headline shows and played support slots around the country. Previously a solo performer, Sam now has a 5-piece live band that brings an incomparable onstage energy. Now, you can get immersed in and celebrate the brilliance of his new single ‘The Cold Midwinter’!
Listen to ‘The Cold Midwinter’ HERE
Watch the video HERE
Find Sam Cullen
Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
SINGER-SONGWRITER DAN SHARP REVEALS CANDID NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘MAN DON’T CRY’
An acknowledgement that we don’t always get to choose our struggles, ‘Man Don’t Cry’ is an exploration of the internal cycle of generational pain that stems from childhood trauma, a quiet wound on the soul which ultimately serves to shape the man
OFF UPCOMING DEBUT ALBUM BETWEEN THE BRAVE, BOLD AND GIVEN UP DUE FOR RELEASE EARLY 2024.
Armed with his guitar, an inimitable knack for writing unifying songs, and captivating crowds from festival stages to small clubs, New Zealand’s DAN SHARP is skilled in the art of creating thoughtful, considered music with an impact that leaves audiences wanting more.
“I always aspire to be authentic in the pursuit of something beautiful. That can mean being vulnerable at times, but if it's not real, then it's not worth it” says Sharp.
Following the release of two EPs and numerous singles in recent years, resulting in over a million streams on Spotify alone, Sharp is gearing up towards the next stage of his career, with debut album BETWEEN THE BRAVE, BOLD AND GIVEN UP set to arrive in early 2024.
From early years as a solo singer-songwriter, Dan Sharp has spent years honing his skills to evolve into an accomplished, dedicated musician and producer who approaches the craft with integrity and authenticity.
Dan’s commitment to his art runs deep, and his music is courageous, thoughtful, and disarmingly honest, deeply connected with age-old traditions of artists sharing stories and emotions through their creativity. Drawing on the timeless writing of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Van Morrison, Dan delivers his brand of indie-rock with a throwback production aesthetic to bands of the 90’s.
Entirely self-funded and self-produced, Dan drew together a band of accomplished musicians to play on his new project: Stan Bicknell on drums (Black Comet, formerly of 48May, Kimbra), Brad Craig on bass (Flamingo Pier, Mini Simmons), Will Henderson (Janine, Yah Yah) on keys and Johnny Mclean (formerly of Tahuna Breaks) on horns and percussion.
An acknowledgement that we don’t always get to choose our struggles, ‘Man Don’t Cry’ is an exploration of the internal cycle of generational pain that stems from childhood trauma, a quiet wound on the soul which ultimately serves to shape the man. ‘Man Don’t Cry’ exposes this hurt as the lyrics pose the question “What is a boy, but an extension of the man who made him?”
Very much a non-fictional story, ‘Man Don’t Cry’ speaks to a cycle of emotional disconnect born of a sense of abandonment, deep-seated insecurities and a detachment to emotional pain.
Growing up in rural Aotearoa, Dan knows many stoic Kiwi men and the delicate tightrope they often walk in regards to their own mental health. Honing in on a story he found himself close to while broaching the broader issues at play, Dan relays a common scenario: a fatherless boy having to grow up too quickly with his best example of manhood being the Dad who walked away. Years of misplaced anger, self-doubt, and misguided attempts at validation eventually exposing a grown human who stills need the nurturing of a child, but unable to ask for help. This is the essence of ‘Man Don’t Cry’.
Sharp explains: “The song felt important to me as it touched on something real. The cyclical nature of damage and misunderstanding that is unresolved, passed down through generations and permeating outwards. I thought of some of the men I knew and something clicked. It’s everywhere. We carry our wounds in the way we talk and walk. Overlay our societies stoic approach to masculinity, and we are where we are in terms of suffering mental health and the tragic implications that has.”
Follow up singles and the album are set to follow, meanwhile Dan is making plans for a national tour with shows in Australia and the UK to follow. Filtered through a modern lens, his heartfelt, guitar-driven compositions result in a sound as moving as it is gripping, and one that cements Dan as a powerful voice flying his own flag.
Ella Pollett New Single “Lost"
Lost delves into the experience of feeling lost in the world, grappling with a sense of not quite finding your place in it. It is a reminder that such moments are part of life, reassuring that this is normal.
Ella Pollett is an emerging singer/songwriter from Hawke’s Bay. The 18 year old tells her story of life through her songs. Ella has just recently performed at the Mission as the opening act for Rod Stewart where she charmed the crowd with her powerful and enthralling vocals. This year she was also a finalist in the prestigious Play it Strange competition. In 2021 and 2022, she won first place at the Rockquest competition, representing Hawke’s Bay in the solo/duo category.
“Lost” is the forth single that Ella has released in 2023. Lost delves into the experience of feeling lost in the world, grappling with a sense of not quite finding your place in it. It is a reminder that such moments are part of life, reassuring that this is normal. The aspiration is for this composition to resonate with others fostering a sense of understanding in the world today.