CHAII 'SAFAR'

Persian-New Zealand  artist  and  producer,  CHAII,  releases  her  debut album  'Safar',  alongside  new  single  ‘We  Be  Killing  It’,  fresh  off  the back  of  her  epic  collaboration  with  Tones  And  I  and  Young  Franco, as  well  as  performing  shows  in  New  York,  London,  Melbourne  and SXSW  Austin.

‘We  Be  Killing  It’  is  the  fifth  song  CHAII  has  released  from  her debut  album,  and  follows  on  from  hits  like  ‘Night  Like  This’,  ‘Fun’, ‘Main  Thing’  and  ‘Drippin  In  Gold’.

Produced  with  long-term  collaborator  and  life  partner,  Frank  Keys, CHAII's  latest  project,  'Safar',  is  deeply  rooted  in  her  journey  from Iran  to  New  Zealand  and  the  connection  she's  maintained  with  her culture  through  music.

The  word  'Safar'  translates  to  'journey'  in  Farsi  (Persian),  which perfectly  encapsulates  the  essence  of  this  body  of  work.  CHAII  has poured  her  heart  into  creating  this  album,  blending  Persian  music with  Hip  Hop.  Although  the  mix  may  not  fit  neatly  into  either  genre, it  embodies  her  unique  identity  as  someone  navigating  between  two worlds.  Reflecting  on  her  musical  journey,  CHAII  shares,  “Fifteen  years ago,  I  told  my  school  music  teacher  that  I  was  going  to  mix  Persian and  Western  music  together,  and  since  then,  I've  continuously experimented  and  had  fun  with  it,  while  going  through  different phases  of  my  life  at  the  same  time.”

Tracks  like  'Drippin  In  Gold'  express  her  determination  to  achieve  her dreams  and  give  back  to  her  parents,  while  'Main  Thing'  celebrates life's  victories,  and  'Night  Like  This'  delves  into  the  tension  between social  connection  and  solitude.

The  lead  single,  'We  Be  Killing  it,'  highlights  the  importance  of  being  your  own  boss  and  surrounding  yourself  with  loyal  friends  in an  industry  where  success  doesn’t  come  overnight.  Meanwhile,  'Fun' is  a  reminder  to  enjoy  every  moment,  whether  life  is  up  or  down.

To  accompany  the  album,  CHAII  has  once  again  self-produced  and creatively  directed  the  DIY  Guerilla  style  videos  for  'Safar',  alongside  a crew  of  friends  including  Director  and  Videographer  Taine  Noble,  who  she  worked  closely  with  for  the  album  visuals.

CHAII’s  songs  have  been  featured  in  soundtracks  for  FIFA,  Fortnite and  Tony  Hawk,  advertising  campaigns  for  iPhone,  FENDI  and  KIA and  used  in  Marvel’s  Ms  Marvel,  Inventing  Anna,  Wellmania  and Netflix  original  film  The  Old  Guard.  Plus,  she’s  been  supported heavily  across  both  Spotify  and  Apple  Music  playlists.

Now,  with  her  much  anticipated  debut  album,  'Safar',  released,  CHAII is  gearing  up  to  support  Tones  And  I  at  Auckland’s  Town  Hall  on Wednesday  28  August. 

CHAII’S  DEBUT  ALBUM  ‘SAFAR’  IS  OUT  NOW  VIA  BMG  &  PARTICLE RECORDINGS.

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THE OTHERS WAY FESTIVAL RETURNS FOR 2024

Saturday 30th November
Across Karangahape Road
Auckland

Sign up for further information here

ALERT! The Others Way Festival cauldron is boiling again. Bubbling with sumptuous and wild ingredients, Tāmaki Makaurau's favourite street party is back to take over the Karangahape Road precinct on Saturday November 30, 2024.

Auckland's most beloved multi-venue music festival will feature over 30 acts playing at venues up and down the city's iconic Karangahape Road and its surrounds, including an all ages zone, alluring international acts, and Aotearoa’s freshest and finest local talent.

Making a cherished home in music lovers' hearts since 2015, The Others Way has captured a dedicated audience of music enthusiasts and tastemakers by bringing a diverse and eclectic lineup of indie, pop, electronic, hip-hop, soul, punk, metal, folk and more. 

Save the date, prepare your crew and get excited for the mighty return of The Others Way on Saturday November 30, 2024. Artist announcements will be revealed in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for the full festival lineup and updates on The Others Way via the festival’s Facebook and Instagram.

Don’t miss out—super earlybird tickets are on sale now via Moshtix and include buy now pay later options via Zip. You can also get them instore from our great pals at Flying Out, 80 Pitt St. Grab your tickets today and prepare for an epic day of music and celebration!

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Aotearoa artists Sam Fowles releases 'Slipping Away'

Pōneke/Wellington based musician, songwriter and producer Sam Fowles releases his moving single ‘Slipping Away’ .

‘Slipping Away’ is the third single released from Fowles' album ‘After Dark’ set to release in November. Fowles co-produced  the album with Barnaby Weir (The Black Seeds, Fly My Pretties). 

Fowles’ debut single, ‘Butterfly Baby’ (released in April)  reached the coveted number 1 spot on the RDU FM Te Ahi top 10 chart and number 4 on the NZ SRN charts, the second single ‘Destination Unknown’ (released in June) built on that success. 

“Slipping Away is the most uptempo track on the album” shares Fowles. “This is an underwater disco funk track that submerges to the surface and dives down with steady rhythm into a nostalgic yet modern sonic world laced with psychedelic synths that bubble and swell, complimented by funky guitars, bouncing basslines, and retro strings. These elements combined  create an atmosphere that feels like a celebration.” 

The upbeat sound is juxtaposed against the song's sad lyrics, with Fowles sharing the heartbreak of a relationship coming to an end.  “Lyrically this song explores my inner conflict of wanting to fight for what I was losing and the struggle with myself to not sink into self destruction” says Fowles. “Ironically in my attempts to escape (through alcohol and partying)  I drifted further away from her and watched her slip away.”

“Music for me is a place to explore and process my experience of the human condition. It is a place where I can be vulnerable and explore my inner workings which in turn allows me to reflect on the significant events in my life as a form of therapy.”  

As someone who has overcome and risen above struggles in his life, Fowles conscious lyrics traverse the spectrum of love and loss; light and dark; personal triumphs and failures. While his journey is his own, his message of hope is universal. 

Speaking about what lesson he learned during the cathartic process of writing this track Fowles reflects “in times when you are faced with problems in life, it is much healthier to face your feelings and feel them for that process leads to healing.”

Fowles unique sound can be described as psychedelic soul laced with blues and funk. It resonates with deep grooves and driving rhythms created by vintage drum sounds, digital sonics, and electric guitars that build and blaze into billowing soundscapes, and at its core is Fowles soulful voice and profoundly personal and vulnerable lyrics.  

‘After Dark’ is Fowles debut solo album. Fowles first musical project was a  band ‘Ghost Who Walks’ who played numerous shows and released a self titled EP (produced by Fowles) before disbanding. This gave Fowles the momentum to  embark on a solo career. Fowles is a Master's graduate of Massey University's College of Creative Arts, where he studied music performance, composition, and production under the mentorship of Warren Maxwell (Trinity Roots, Little Bushman). This is where Fowles honed in on his sound.

AL PARK RELEASES NEW ALBUM MONKEY

Today Al Park has released his third album ‘Monkey’. Again produced by Dick Picton and following on from the surprise success of 2022’s ‘Pony’.
The songs of Monkey sound just as energised and engaged as anything else you might hear from any younger artist (See ‘Vandalised’) but it also marks a deep and reflective outlook from a man who's been herea while (see
‘Twilight Hour’).

From the young punk with a telecaster, to the old soul with the acoustic, Al has been not just a representative of music but sensei to some of its strongest exports (Marlon Williams, Aldous Harding, Delaney Davidson, the Adams - McGrath and Hattaway), always there making the magic move and the music sing.

A man who has no thoughts of retiring, Al is still digging in the record mines and as excited as a teenager with their first demo, Al keeps making records and writing songs and singing them for whomever comes a listening but more importantly because songs are his story. His comfort and joy, fire and light, answers and questions all at once.

MONKEY AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE DIGITALLY OR ON CD VIA BAND CAMP
BUY MONKEY

NZ country-popstar Abby Christo shares sing-along heartbreak anthem ‘Just A Broken Heart’

Listen HERE

Following an exciting move to Nashville, Kaiwaka-raised Abby Christo is channeling girl power and roadtrip sing-alongs with her catchy new single ‘Just A Broken Heart’ - out today!

Living the dream in the city of country music, Abby Christo is sharing her latest banger after recently relocating to Nashville, TN. ‘Just A Broken Heart’ is a nostalgic, coming-of-age country-pop track that pairs Abby’s relatable and emotive songwriting with driving guitars, and layers of tender vocals.

“It’s for all the girls out there going through a breakup,” says Abby. “To empower them to know that it’s just a broken heart, and everything will be okay.”

Abby first stepped into the spotlight in 2015, when she appeared on X- Factor NZ as part of duo Mae Valley. They broke charts with their debut self-titled EP, and played alongside global country megastars like Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and Kelsea Ballerini. Her debut solo single ‘Kiss Me Into Monday’ was released in 2019 and now has over 1.4 million streams. She then released her debut EP SLOW DOWN GIRL in 2022, and has seen huge love for her 2023 singles ‘Like Me Too’, ‘Note To Self’ (#8 NZ Hot Singles Chart) and ‘Shouldn’t Be Doing This’ (#6 NZ Hot Singles Chart) - receiving radioplay from the likes of ZM, The Edge, RNZ, The Breeze, More FM, The Hits and more.

Now, riding the high of an exciting career thus far, Abby’s talent has taken her all the way to Nashville! “This kiwi girl just moved to Nashville to chase her country music dreams,” says the inspiring young artist. With today’s empowering new anthem and a brand new adventure, Abby sure knows how to lift fans out of a heartbreak funk!

Made with the support of NZ On Air, ‘Just A Broken Heart’  was produced, mixed and mastered by Alex Mather, across New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.

Fans can also look forward to a stunning new music video for the track, set to be released in the coming weeks! The video captures the joy of friendship in the face of heartbreak. It features Abby’s three good friends (making the roadtrip fun feel even more real!), and was made across different locations in Australia by Blacklist Productions

“Being with friends who love you is the best cure for a heartache,” says Abby, adding that we can expect more empowering songwriting from her. “It’s a fun, sassy moment. ‘Just A Broken Heart’ is more mature, raw, and the start of a lot of new country music from me.”

With more music in the works, an exciting time ahead in Nashville, and today’s girl power anthem, there’s no doubt that Abby Christo is bound for stardom!

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L.A. Mitchell shares stunning new single ‘Slow Dancing’ + mesmerising visualiser

Listen to ‘Slow Dancing’ HERE 

Multifaceted Õtautahi-based artist L.A. Mitchell is sure to draw listeners further into her world with today's enthralling new release, ‘Slow Dancing’.

Bringing finger-clicks, layered vocals, a solid beat and a hypnotic chorus, ‘Slow Dancing’ is the second single to be shared since L.A. Mitchell - aka Lauren Barus - recently stepped back into the solo spotlight with driving alt-dance track ‘Glove’ (Rolling Stone, NZOA NewTracks, Radio Active, R1, The Most FM, The May Magazine).

"’Slow Dancing’ is when you’ve been stuck in a world, or a part of your mind or life, and then you feel pulled out of it and reminded that things were moving, even if you couldn't see it,” explains Lauren. “I wanted to capture something in ‘Slow Dancing’ that speaks to being led and being carried - despite you and in spite of the world, we are moving and being moved."

The track was recorded between Lauren’s home in Addington and Diamond Harbour, Ōtautahi, with production and mixing from Mark Perkins and mastering by Brock McFarlane and CPS.

Also shared today is a short, yet mesmerising visualiser that further unlocks the quirky and mystical corners of the artist’s creative mind. Made alongside Naomi Hausmann and Loren-Jaclyn Kett, with dance choreography from Julia McKurrow, it showcases that L.A.Mitchell is not only a stand-out songwriter and singer, but an all-round performer.

Watch the visualiser HERE

A stand-out Aotearoa talent, Lauren has worked with some of the countries most celebrated artists (Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Tim Finn, Anna Coddington, Sola Rosa, Dukes, Troy Kingi, Dallas Tamaira), and was a finalist for the 2024 Best Folk Artist award at the AMAs for her work with husband Matt Barus in Terrible Sons.

‘Slow Dancing’ is just the beginning from this one-of-a-kind Aotearoa creative. L.A. Mitchell is definitely a talent you should be tuned into!

Follow L.A. Mitchell

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Claudia Robin Gunn & Jenny Freed - Kindy Kid

For all the new kindy kids of a new generation, and the parents who mistily remember sand kitchens, leaf collages, and applecake birthdays, children's songwriter Claudia Robin Gunn has teamed up with her own kindy buddy, actress and vocalist Jenny Freed, to create a sweet, memory-packed song and video.

With kind support from NZ On Air Tamariki, the song is produced by Marshall Smith and Tom Fox at The Sound Room, and the video is created by Michelle Sokolich. This project is one of the singles off Claudia’s upcoming album Little Wild Learning, all about celebrating learning through music, and play. The video stars some adorable Morningside Kindergarten kiddos, including Jenny’s son Miro, who’s now off to school. Get ready to revisit the playgrounds of your youth, see the bright potential in this new generation, and sing along.

Morningside Kindergarten’s head teacher Nancy and a group of awesome parents made sure director Michelle Sokolich (from Show and Tell Video) was able to capture all the fun and diverse moments of a kindy day. Michelle’s no stranger to the Little Wild Music crew, having done many profile photography shoots with Claudia over the years, but this is her first video collaboration. Past colleagues in the workplace, when they both worked in media, they are now thrilled to creating content for little eyes and ears together, and a new project they are masterminding is just around the corner too. The whole team send a huge thanks to the families who gave their time and energy to make this kindy day extra special and bring this song’s story to life, and an extra special thanks to Auckland Kindergarten Association.

The song is out today, Friday 16th August, while the video premieres on Monday, so set your reminders and get ready to sing - all together now !

TJ & Huri to Release New Single on August 16th – A Love Song to Add to Your Playlist

TJ & Huri are set to captivate listeners once again with their upcoming single. This new release weaves a heartfelt story between sweet melodies and harmonies that embody the admiration of lovers.

Following the success of their April release "I Wonder Why," this marks TJ & Huri's second original single for 2024. With catchy guitar riffs and a vibe that celebrates love, this track is sure to resonate with fans old and new.

Listeners can look forward to adding this tune to their favorite playlists and enjoying it on all major streaming platforms. TJ & Huri are proud of this release and can't wait to share the full version with everyone on August 16th.

Additionally, the duo has some exciting summer shows planned, so be sure to keep an eye out for live performances where you can experience their music firsthand.