GLOWWORM SHINES IN SPARKLING NEW CHILDREN’S SHOW

The story of a brave little glowworm who embarks on a musical forest adventure will be told through the Auckland Philharmonia’s Tunes 4 Tamariki children’s concert entitled, Hana the Glowworm. This glittering new production weaves together talent from across Aotearoa songwriting, composition, youth theatre, and the Auckland Phil, into a fun-filled show in the Aotea Centre and Bruce Mason Theatre this April.

Tunes 4 Tamariki: Hana the Glowworm is Aotearoa’s newest semi-staged children’s musical, an interactive live music experience for under eights that invites the audience to join Hana, a curious little glowworm, on her adventure to find the Auckland Phil. Performed by a fabulous company of 14 young theatre stars and Auckland’s professional orchestra, the concert features the original ‘Hana the Glowworm’ songs that were written by award-winning local songwriter, Chris Sanders and scored by New Zealand-based arrangers Adrian Hollay, Linda Dallimore, Joshua Clark, Anna Reyes and Camryn Nel. This will be accompanied by children’s singalong favourite ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ and more.

Over the course of the family-friendly 45-minute performance, tamariki will learn about native Aotearoa fauna and the instruments of the orchestra, can dance and sing along with the music, and join a walk through the orchestra while the musicians are playing to see the instruments up close. Ahead of the concert, free activities include face painting, Aspiring Musician performances and colouring in competition.

The touching tale of Hana the Glowworm follows Hana, a glowworm who is drawn out into the world for the first time by beautiful music. In her search for the music’s source, she makes new friends, including a cave eel, and discovers musical instruments that have been lost by their owners. Hana the Glowworm explores themes of friendship and teamwork, going beyond our comfort zone to find our own light, and introduces children to the different instruments and sections of an orchestra.

Originally produced as five songs and an overture that were distributed as a free music education resource for primary schools, this is the first time that this music has been performed live and coincides with the release of the Hana the Glowworm picture book, illustrated by Natalie Conaty.

Thomas Hamill, Auckland Philharmonia’s Senior Director of Strategy & Engagement, says, “We’ve had wonderful feedback from schools across Aotearoa that have taken up our free Hana the Glowworm recordings and education resources, so we’re delighted to share this special story with a wider audience as a Tunes 4 Tamariki concert.

"As well as being great fun, these concerts provide valuable opportunities for children to experience the excitement and togetherness of a live performance with their whānau and wider community. It may also be the first time tamariki experience a performance in a large venue, see an orchestra’s instruments up close, or share a concert experience with their peers and community.”

For songwriter Chris Sanders, Hana the Glowworm started as a spark of an idea to inspire and uplift children to be curious and adventurous.

“After four years of planning, it is a dream come true to bring it to life on stage. Collaborating with the Auckland Philharmonia, an internationally renowned orchestra, is a privilege, and I am excited about how this show nurtures and celebrates the incredible talent of our young performers," he says.

The Tunes 4 Tamariki: Hana the Glowworm concerts kick off Auckland Philharmonia’s 2025 Tunes 4 Tamariki series of children’s music concerts that are delivered as part of the orchestra’s Learn & Participate programme. This is also the first opportunity to hear an Auckland Philharmonia Learn & Participate concert conducted by 2025 NZ Assistant Conductor-in-Residence, Reuben Brown.

Auckland Philharmonia’s Tunes 4 Tamariki series is delivered thanks to the support of Auckland Live, North & South Trust, The Douglas Goodfellow Charitable Trust, and the orchestra’s core funders, Auckland Council, Creative NZ and Foundation North.

Tickets are $15 each, with under 2’s free, or $50 for a family pass (2 adults/2 children or 1 adult/3 children). For more information or to book tickets, visit aucklandphil.nz/T4T-Hana

Event details:

Tunes 4 Tamariki: Hana the Glowworm

10.00am & 11.30am, Saturday 5 April, Aotea Centre

10.00am & 11.30am, Saturday 12 April, Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna

Tickets/more info: aucklandphil.nz/T4T-Hana

Vera Ellen 'sangria (demo)'

2024 was a big year for rising Aotearoa songstress, Vera Ellen. The year found her awarded the coveted Taite Music Prize for her 2023 album ‘Ideal Home Noise’, touring 14 dates across mainland China, and flying through 10 sold-out arena shows around Australia with Crowded House… all while hard at work in the studio with longtime producer and collaborator Ben Lemi, working on what’s to come.

Today Vera shares delicate forbidden-love-anthem ‘sangria (demo)’, A fan-favourite from recent sunny festival sets at Laneway Festival and Twisted Frequency. This track is performed, recorded and mixed by Vera herself, and in keeping with its DIY essence, it’s paired with a self-edited music video.

The video is composed of lo-fi footage captured in earlier days of summer; commemorating time spent on a national tour with fellow Flying Nun alumni Voom and Reb Fountain, as well as being on the road with Aotearoa icons Crowded House, playing to their masses of Australian fans at iconic venues such as the Sydney Opera House.

About the song Vera shares “‘Sangria’ is an ode to all the romantic halfwits who know about wanting something they shouldn't have. The intoxicating mix of alcohol and the familiar scent of an old lover. Saying 'to hell with it!' and doing the thing you mustn't in the name of a particularly inviting moon.”

Yurt Party Shares new single, ‘The Gambler’

Ōtautahi/Christchurch’s own Yurt Party is back with a brand-new single, 'The Gambler'—and no, it’s not that 'Gambler.' While the band had a laugh about the famous namesake, this track is something entirely different: a hypnotic, groove-driven journey steeped in shadowy psychedelia and rich instrumental textures.

Recorded in the depths of winter 2023 at LOHO Studios—bassist Josh Logan’s former creative hub tucked away near Hagley Park—the song had an unexpected evolution. Initially, the band wasn’t quite sure about the recording, but after revisiting it a year later, they found themselves entranced by its moody magnetism. 'The Gambler' carries a weightier, darker vibe than the frenetic Yurt energy fans might be used to. Still, the band's signature harmonic interplay remains at its core, with complex cello harmonies, Eastern violin melodies, and a healthy dose of psychedelic sax.

'It’s got that umami darkness,' the band muses. 'It’s different, but it grooves in a way that feels fresh for us.'

This single marks the first of five upcoming releases leading into Yurt Party’s highly anticipated second album. With each new track, the band will reveal a wider palette of musical influences, showcasing the expansive sonic universe they’ve been crafting.

Known for their high-energy, genre-blending performances, Yurt Party has built a reputation as one of New Zealand’s most exhilarating live acts. Their music draws from Balkan, Latin, and dub traditions, shaping a sound that’s equal parts raucous and refined. 'The Gambler' is a thrilling taste of what’s to come—a darkly dynamic piece that still keeps the dance floor in its sights.

Available on all major streaming platforms.

Upcoming Autumn Show dates across Aotearoa to be announced soon via UTR:

FEBRUARY 22    ŌTAUTAHI (CHRISTCHURCH)  @  ELECTRIC AVE  

MARCH 7    WAIHARAKEKE (BLENHEIM)  @  FRAMINGHAM HARVEST CONCERT 2025  

MARCH 8    WHAKATŪ (NELSON)  @  DEVILLE  

MARCH 14    ŌTEPOTI (DUNEDIN)  @  U-BAR  

MARCH 15    TĀHUNA (QUEENSTOWN)  @  YONDER  

MARCH 16    WĀNAKA  @  RHYME & REASON  

MARCH 27    WAIHEKE ISLAND  @  ARTWORKS THEATRE  

MARCH 28    TĀMAKI MAKAURAU (AUCKLAND)  @  NECK OF THE WOODS  

MARCH 29    TAURANGA  @  THE ISLAND  

APRIL 12    PŌNEKE (WELLINGTON)  @  MEOW  

APRIL 19    BARRYTOWN  @  BARRYTOWN HALL  

APRIL 20    TĀKAKA  @  KIWI SPIRIT FESTIVAL

FIN RAH ZEL SHARE ETHEREAL POP BALLAD WITH NEW SINGLE ‘NIGHT SKY’

Fans of Taranaki 5-piece band FIN RAH ZEL are familiar with the rising indie soul stars distinct blend of dreamy zen, infectious optimism and catchy summer vibes, as evoked in their radio smash hit ‘Unity’ and their growing back catalogue of impressive tunes.

STREAM ‘NIGHT SKY’ HERE

With their latest tune, gorgeous pop ballad ‘NIGHT SKY’, Brian and the boys reveal a transcendent and comforting jam that is all about care of self and feeling grateful for all that you have.

A stripped back warm song with a gentle pace and light, airy vibe, ‘Night Sky’ offers the listener comfort in its stillness as it wraps your ears in a sweet, harmonious hug. It’s a good vibe conscious tune, all about letting go of that which no longer serves you, being present to yourself, living in the moment, and stepping out into the unknown while totally trusting in the process.

It’s in moments such as these that lead singer Brian Norton urges people to take a moment to be still, breathe in deep, and consider the big picture – and the perfect back-drop to this scenario is to take comfort in the night sky.

Says Brian: “I’ve always liked stepping outside in the late hours of the night, taking a deep breath, and appreciating the vast night sky. It’s easy to just be stuck in the day to day grind and forget that there is always something to be grateful for. Looking up there also makes me reflect on people who have passed on and I often think that they are looking down just wanting me to do my best, and not sweat the small stuff.”

Written and recorded with the talented Sam Johnson at local music production hub Rhythm Ace Studio, Oakura, and mastered by Chris Chetland at KOG, ‘Night Sky’ is a sweetly balanced tune.

“We had such a blast writing and recording this track. Once we came up with that dreamy falsetto chorus, we knew we had a nostalgic banger in our hands. We used a 1973 Fender Rhodes, Telecaster, and mid-2000’s Gibson acoustic to help balance this modern track with soulful roots”, explains Brian.

No stranger to delivering numbers that tug at the heart-strings, Fin Rah Zel are a band that consistently reach deep within to compose songs that hit all the feels, full of gentle, heartfelt grooves and warm-hearted uplifting messages of connection, love and hope. Music that is medicine for the soul!

UPSTAGE: Elevating Local Artists to a Global Stage

A new pilot initiative is set to amplify the voices of emerging Hawke’s Bay musicians, providing them with professionally produced content, allowing them to share their original music with the world. UPSTAGE, a collaborative project between Backline Charitable Trust, Toitoi Hawke’s Bay Arts and Event Centre and Ideaschool@EIT, is breaking down barriers by offering local artists high-quality video and audio recordings of their work.

The recordings are professionally produced and showcased on UPSTAGE’s YouTube channel, with all content shared with the artists for their own streaming platforms and promotional use. Sarah Terry, Toitoi’s Producer - Community Outreach says “The goal is to build capacity, celebrate local stories, and foster pride in our region’s creative talent on a global scale.”

“Access to high-quality recording facilities can be a major hurdle for many emerging artists in our region,” Terry continues, “There are only a few studios available, and the high costs—especially factoring in travel outside Hawke’s Bay—make it a significant expense.  UPSTAGE is about supporting artists—helping them grow their careers without having to leave home. We’re thrilled to partner with local industry practitioners to bring this project to life.”

Through UPSTAGE, artists not only gain industry-standard recordings but also valuable experience in a professional production environment. The initiative is a rich learning environment, offering EIT students and staff opportunities to work alongside experienced industry practitioners to film, record and produce this work. This collective approach benefits both emerging musicians and the local creative sector as a whole.

“For us, investing in the next generation of musicians is vital,” says Kevin Murphy from Backline Charitable Trust. “Hawke’s Bay has incredible talent, and projects like UPSTAGE give our artists the skills, resources, and confidence to take their music further. When we invest in them, we invest in the future of our creative community.”

The first artist to participate in UPSTAGE, Nick Herbison, enjoyed his experience.

“Upstage has given me 2 songs professionally recorded as video. These two songs are shared on social media which has been engaged with by my followers but also non-followers. The video gives a great overview of how I sound when playing live. This is great for engaging listeners that want to know my live sound and help them decide whether to see me live. The videos are also great for pitching venues and events that I would like to play. The audio is also mixed and recorded well which gives me the opportunity to upload it as a ‘live version’ to streaming platforms. The artists were given a lot of support throughout the day which was appreciated.”

The next UPSTAGE release drops on Wednesday, March 12, and will feature up-and-coming local musician Liberty.

Follow the journey:
📍 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UpstageHB

MOUSEY RELEASES NEW VIDEO FOR “DOG PARK”

Mousey has just released the music video for Dog Park, filmed at darkroom in Ōtautahi during the tour for her third album The Dreams of Our Mothers’ Mothers!. The video centres on two young friends who stumble upon Mousey’s live show while running around town on a night out with a handheld camera. The grainy, distorted aesthetic of the VHS video mirrors the industrial tone and dark, brooding instrumentation of Dog Park as they stumble around town and recording their antics.

The Dog Park music video is the final bookend for Mousey’s third album The Dreams of Our Mothers’ Mothers! released on Winegum Records in October 2024. A tonal shift from her past material, Mousey’s prowess as a songwriter and creative is on full display with and album spanning from minimalist to cinematic in her most recent effort. Dog Park reached #2 on the Alternative Airplay charts, while the album charted at #11 on the Official Aotearoa Music Charts and #15 on Rolling Stone Australia’s Top 50 Albums list for 2024.

The Dog Park music video is out now online. The Dreams of Our Mothers’ Mothers! is available on all streaming platforms, and vinyl can be found from Bandcamp or at your favourite local Aotearoa record store.

Mousey’s music is emotional and cathartic. A songwriter first and foremost, there’s a captivating depth to her music, delivered with unrivalled sincerity and skill.

Emerging in the later part of the last decade with deft songcraft and a sound all her own, Mousey writes songs from the heart in true earnest fashion. Wading in a pool of warm instrumentation, tight band-arrangements and striking vocal performances, her sophomore album MY FRIENDS earned high alternative and student radio praise and a No. 10 placing in Aotearoa’s album charts, cementing Mousey as a fixture of Aotearoa New Zealand’s heavy-hitting songwriter selection.

As a live act, Mousey’s performances are characterised by her faultless vocals, her multi instrumental musicianship and raw emotional energy. After multiple national tours, festival appearances and a string of support slots (with the likes of The Beths, The Chills, Reb Fountain and Princess Chelsea) Mousey is set to continue her own brand of raw, hook heavy indie sounds further into this decade.

“Effortlessly creative without being contrarian, and immediately accessible without being shallow.” - Rolling Stone Australia

“…brutally bleak, darkly funny and hantingly beautiful - often in the space of one song.” - Chris Schulz (Boiler Room)

“Spine-tingling, folk-inflected vocal powers and sophisticated instrumental arrangements — sounding absolutely gigantic or disarmingly tender as the occasion calls.” - Under the Radar

“Writes the kind of songs that feel instantly familiar.” - Tony Stamp (RNZ)

REB FOUNTAIN RELEASES NEW ALBUM HOW LOVE BENDS – OUT NOW + NEW SINGLE 'HE COMMANDS YOU TO JUMP INTO THE SEA'

“How Love Bends is for those who choose to dance in the shadows” - Beat Magazine

“For ‘How Love Bends’ Reb Fountain and her band have dreamed a musical landscape that is both familiar and new, and signposted with warnings as well as words of comfort; an album for our times”. - Nick Bollinger

‘“‘How Love Bends’ is a significant step forward in her discography in New Zealand and positioning her for a place on the international stage.” - 13th Floor

"Reb Fountain and the team have produced another beautifully understated gem of an album with How Love Bends. I love the exploration of new and unusual analog tones and sounds, all wrapped up in the usual excellent songs. At Flying Nun, we are all super proud and stoked to be teaming up with Reb for this new album.” – Ben Howe, Flying Nun 

Celebrated Aotearoa singer-songwriter Reb Fountain today unveils her highly anticipated new album How Love Bends, available now on all streaming platforms, vinyl including special edition packages, and CD.

Produced by Dave Khan and Simon Gooding, How Love Bends showcases Reb’s poetic depth and signature sound. Joined by longtime bandmates Dave Khan (guitar/keys), Karin Canzek (bass), and Earl Robertson (drums), the album dives into the transformative nature of love in all its forms—its tenderness, its power, its chaos. Building on the success of IRIS (2021) and her Taite Music Prize-winning Flying Nun debut Reb Fountain, this latest offering is haunting and magnetic; a dynamic dreamscape traversing love’s endless complexities.

Reb’s surrealist storytelling harnesses the sage wisdom of the dream, guiding listeners through limitless explorations of love, life, and loss within a landscape entirely of her making. Her love is the stuff of chaos and oceans, vulnerability and revolution; stirring the depths of the human condition and dancing with the richness of who we really are.

How Love Bends is a positive record. For Reb, Love is the tether that binds us all; love is a choice, a perspective, love is liberation. As love bends, so too has Reb’s music effortlessly evolved. In How Love Bends, Reb further reveals the expanse of her artistry; her palette is rich, complex, brazen and unapologetic.

“The way in which I perceive the world and myself changes over time to the degree to which I am prepared to allow it to change. That’s so fucking liberating.” Reb

Alongside the album release, Reb shares her powerful new single “He Commands You to Jump into the Sea” – an evocative, hypnotic track that captivates from the very first note. He Commands You to Jump into the Sea is such an arresting testimony that listeners will remember where they were the first time they heard it. In the spoken word tradition of Jack Kerouac, Patti Smith, Leonard Cohen, Kae Tempest, and Sleaford Mods, Reb mesmerizes with words incarnate; seamlessly fusing her noir folk style with an infectious, beat-driven dirge. The track compels and awakens, inviting listeners into a journey that disrupts the familiar and embraces the surreal, much like her live performances that entice audiences into slow-burning, transformative narratives.

Enhancing the release is an outstanding music video directed by Lola Fountain-Best, fittingly it is the 20th music video Lola has directed for Reb. Shot at Connells Bay on Waiheke Island, the video poses the question; He commands you to jump into the sea; do you follow? The brooding groove of 'He Commands You To Jump into the Sea’ paces the journey for our protagonists heading the call. Weaving through iconic landscapes and surrounded by substantial artworks by some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s finest sculptors, Reb Fountain leads us on this path as a seeker; daring to uncover the lure of the almighty. Reb's art is an invitation to explore and unravel the stories that we tell ourselves with the prospect of liberation on the horizon. How Love Bends is a compass for recalibration, where changing change is possible should we will love to prevail.

 To celebrate the release of How Love Bends, Reb Fountain and her full band will embark on a twelve-date nationwide tour this April and May 2025. Fans will get their first glimpse of How Love Bends live, experiencing the raw emotion and compelling storytelling that define her captivating performances. Known for her powerful presence and deeply moving shows, Reb brings an intensity that leaves a lasting impact. This tour is the perfect chance to see her magic up close. Tickets are selling fast, and shows are already close to selling out!

REB FOUNTAIN - How Love Bends Album Release Tour

With special guest Pete Moriarity
April-May 2025
Tickets on sale now

THU 10 APR
Totara Street | Tauranga
flicket.co.nz

FRI 11 APR
Dome Cinema | Gisborne
moshtix.co.nz

SAT 12 APR
MTG Century Theatre | Napier
moshtix.co.nz

THU 17 APR
Last Place | Hamilton
moshtix.co.nz

SAT 19 APR
Leigh Sawmill | Leigh
moshtix.co.nz

FRI 25 APR – NEW 5pm SHOW
Grainstore Gallery | Oamaru
moshtix.co.nz

FRI 25 APR
Grainstore Gallery | Oamaru
SOLD OUT

SAT 26 APR
Errick’s | Dunedin
moshtix.co.nz

SUN 27 APR – NEW 5pm SHOW
Sherwood | Queenstown
moshtix.co.nz

SUN 27 APR
Sherwood | Queenstown
moshtix.co.nz

THU 1 MAY
The Church | Christchurch
flicket.co.nz

FRI 2 MAY
Opera House | Wellington
ticketmaster.co.nz

SAT 3 MAY
Town Hall | Auckland
ticketmaster.co.nz

Loopy Tunes share 'I Love Huawhenua (Tupuānuku)' and 'Huarākau Is Fruit (Tupuārangi)' from their Matariki album for Tamariki

Loopy Tunes (Preschool) Music have released two more waiata 'I Love Huawhenua (Tupuānuku)' and 'Huarākau Is Fruit (Tupuārangi)' from their new upcoming Matariki album 'Mā: Matariki for Tamariki', made with support from NZ on Air. 

These new waiata follow up '​Hiwa-i-te-rangi' and 'Te Waka o Rangi (Pōhutukawa)' from their upcoming 'Mā: Matariki for Tamariki' album, a 13-track assortment from the Ōtautahi-based sister duo, made for "our little ones to help them understand Matariki and grow up singing and dancing to the waiata".

Listen to 'I Love Huawhenua (Tupuānuku)' HERE 

A fun waiata written about Tupuānuku, the star in the Matariki cluster associated with kai harvested from the soil, tamariki will get to learn the names of different vegetables in Māori and English. “A line in the song that we love is, ‘when Tupu-ā-nuku shines bright in the sky, prepare to see your garden fill with kai!’" says the duo. “It has a fun we call and response at the end, ‘I love hua whenua….they are namunamuā'.”

Listen to 'Huarākau Is Fruit (Tupuārangi)' HERE

In this song, tamariki will learn the names of fruit in Māori and English, as “Tupu-ā-rangi represents kai from above”. The star is associated with food that comes from the sky, such as birds, or elevated fruit and berries from trees.

Siu Williams-Lemi and Leah Williams-Partington make up Loopy Tunes Music. With ancestral links to the largest Māori tribe in Aotearoa, Ngāpuhi, and the friendly islands of Tonga, the sisters bring a super-fun cultural vibe to the children’s music world. They are recognised for their reorua/bilingual Māori and Pasifika children’s waiata, sung in their beautifully harmonious style.

With a growing catalogue of over 170 waiata, their album 'Mā: Matariki for Tamariki' will follow “Kahurangi: Little Treasures” – a 23-song assortment of mostly bilingual tunes that young tamariki and the young at heart will enjoy, released in October 2024. 

2025 will see the duo touring the North Canterbury region through to Kaikoura in April, followed by an extra special tour to Northland in October to visit their iwi whenua, maunga and marae. Alongside touring, they are looking forward to continuing their new fortnightly YouTube series, “Music Time with Loopy Tunes”.

'I Love Huawhenua (Tupuānuku)' and 'Huarākau Is Fruit (Tupuārangi)' were made possible thanks to the support of NZ on Air Tamariki funding.

'I Love Huawhenua (Tupuānuku)' and 'Huarākau Is Fruit (Tupuārangi)' are out now on all streaming platforms.