Australian Golden Guitar Glory: Jenny Mitchell Celebrates Milestone Year With Major Award Nominations

Country/Folk Musician Jenny Mitchell, has wrapped up a meteoric year with 2 x Golden Guitar nominations in the Alt Americana Album of the Year and Toyota Album of the Year categories – for her album ‘Forest House’ (released via Melbourne based label Civilians). Australia’s 54th annual Golden Guitar Awards will take place at the Tamworth Country Music Festival on Saturday 24 January 2026 and Jenny is set to celebrate her milestone year with a special Capitol Theatre performance on Wed 21 Jan, with Australian singer-songwriter Dingo.

Jenny Mitchell, NZ Best Country Artist Winner and 2 x Golden Guitar nominee, is originally from Gore  - NZ’s capital of country music. Jenny has spent the past decade steadily carving out her place in the industry. Her name now appears on this year’s golden nomination list alongside some of her greatest musical heroes - including country music icon Kasey Chambers, who earlier this year championed Jenny with a career-defining opportunity as the support act on her 32-date Australian tour.

‘Forest House’ is everything I love about Jenny Mitchell.” Kasey Chambers

Recorded in a home surrounded by native bush in NZ’s North Island, Forest House is described by the AU Review as “a sublime slice of folk.” Produced by Tasmania’s Matt Fell, Forest House has connected deeply with listeners across the globe and led to an album release tour that filled venues across Australia and New Zealand - and as a huge reward, also generated over 200 Safe Nights for NZ women fleeing domestic violence.

“The songs of Forest House are me and all my thoughts, feelings and values out in the wide open. The experience of bringing these songs to life with my band was one of the most inspiring times of my life in music and it’s been such a joy to share the songs live this year,” says Jenny, “2025 has been a year of big change and big milestones for me.”

Since relocating to Melbourne in early 2025, Not only has Jenny played 32 dates across Australia opening for Kasey Chambers, she has also played multiple Australian festivals from the iconic Port Fairy Folk Festival to the Gympie Music Muster + shows from Tasmania to Darwin and appearing as Kasey Chambers’ special guest, to a crowd of 15,000+ at Byron Bay Bluesfest. With Australian, New Zealand and international touring plans in place for 2026, Jenny Mitchell has solidified her place as, “one of the most exciting voices in modern folk-country,” CountryTown 

Additionally, in her spare time, Jenny wrote, directed and released a film documentary: Capital of Country Music chronicling the 50 year history of the Gore Country Music Club and tells an emotive musical story about the power of volunteering, and the roots of her love for Country Music.

Greta O’Leary Releases New Single and Entirely Self-Produced Video for ‘So Lucky,’ from her album RIVER DARK

Greta O’Leary releases the latest piece of visuals from her breakthrough new album, River Dark this Thursday 20th November. So Lucky is a slow burn, blues-injected confession. Death and spiritual dread are brought to life in the arid landscapes of Greta’s River Dark universe.

The new music video - directed, shot and edited entirely by Greta herself - features a ghost-like being, inhabiting the high-alpine desert areas of Te Ika-A-Māui. Summoning truth from beyond the red curtain, this is a confrontation with death and a dark grasping at an unholy rebirth, or something like that.

The release of So Lucky follows the 9-date tour of River Dark completed this Spring. River Dark and So Lucky were recorded with Jol Mulholland, Alistair Deverick, Cass Basil and Callum Passels at The Lab, Tāmaki Makaurau, River Dark was released this May.

RIVER DARK is a project created against the odds, that sees Tāmaki Makaurau based songwriter Greta O’Leary invite listeners into the soft, dark and idiosyncratic corners of her inner world. Through soaring instrumentation, astute (sometimes absurd) lyrics of self-reflection, and her clear and unmistakable tone, Greta O’Leary’s debut body of work is a remarkable sonic collection of confession, truth and poetry.

“My first record, a collection of personal, ridiculous and truth telling songs. It took a long time to get here. I was a child shy and unclear, completely confused, absolutely not onboard with future, with goals or activity. I was in the field below the house, I was at the pond with the dog, I played make believe longer than most. I was taught to be quiet”

Casting rich spells of self-expression, finding power in softness, and inviting listeners deeper into her ethereal world, Greta O’Leary is set to turn heads across Aotearoa with her astonishing debut album RIVER DARK - out now on all streaming platforms and vinyl!

Tavita & Bay Road Release Second EP Diamond & Balloon

Pōrirua-based songwriter Tavita De Seymour returns with Diamond & Balloon, the second EP from Tavita & Bay Road. It follows their 2024 debut with a set of songs that feel clearer in tone and more assured in their simplicity.

Recorded with Toby Lloyd at Tiny Triumph Recordings and mastered by Mike Gibson, the EP touches on reggae, roots and alt-pop, but stays centred on the writing. The band — Eli De Seymour (bass), Tim Manu (drums), and Rene Ross (keys) — keep things steady and understated, letting the writing lead.

FOCUS TRACK: “Ain’t Got Far to Go”
The focus track, “Ain’t Got Far to Go,” is an up-tempo reggae tune with a light psychedelic edge. Its lines are plain and direct — “You’ve given me a place to rest my mind” — holding to the steady, modest sense of progress that runs through the EP.

ABOUT THE EP
The opener Diamond & Balloon sits in a space of uncertainty and quiet pressure. Ain’t Got Far to Go lifts the mood, while Keep On Moving drops into a slower, more reflective place.

Reveal is the EP’s starkest moment, built from clear, uneasy images — abandoned structures, movement in the dark, voices close by. The song leaves these scenes as they are, without pointing to any specific meaning.

The closer, One More Time, ends the record simply, staying with the unresolved feeling rather than forcing a conclusion.

RELEASE SHOW
Friday 21 November, 6.30pm — The Sin Bin, Lower Hutt
With Ainslie Allen

ABOUT TAVITA
Samoan–Pākehā, born in Wellington and long settled in Pōrirua, Tavita works in community mental health. His songwriting leans toward clear scenes and unembellished language, allowing the listener to sit with the tone of each track.

Sophie-Maude Announces New Single“Under Your Spell”

Emerging R&B/Soul-Pop artist Sophie-Maude is set to release her most vulnerable single to date, “Under Your Spell”, on November 14. The track dives deep into her personal journey with Obsessive-Compulsive Disrder (OCD), transforming lived struggle into a song of connection, hope, and empowerment.

Co-written and produced by Ben Malone, the single showcases Sophie-Maude’s signature powerhouse vocals and raw storytelling ability. Her honest approach gives listeners not only a glimpse into the reality of mental health challenges but also a reminder that light can be found in dark spaces.

“Writing this song gave me a way to process the hardest parts of living with OCD,” Sophie-Maude shares. “I hope it resonates with anyone who has ever felt out of control and reminds them that things can get better.”

In line with her commitment to making a difference, Sophie-Maude will donate all royalties from the single to help people with OCD access the Bergen 4-Day Treatment (B4DT) — an innovative therapy showing promising results for overcoming OCD.

Alongside the single’s release, Sophie-Maude’s story will be featured in a special TV segment on Attitude TV and TVNZ, where she opens up about living with OCD and her continued journey of healing.

From the moment Sophie-Maude began releasing music, it was clear she was no ordinary artist. With more than 350,000 streams across her songs, music videos featured on MTV Australia, and a #1 single on the NZ Hot New Singles Chart with “Take Me Away,” she quickly became one of Aotearoa’s brightest young voices. 

But what truly sets Sophie-Maude apart is not just her sound — it’s her story. Her music blends R&B, soul, and pop with raw emotion, each lyric shaped by her lived experiences with Autism, ADHD, OCD, and Tourette’s. These layers of honesty and vulnerability breathe life into every note, transforming her songs into something far deeper than melody — they’re a reflection of resilience and truth. With her new single “Under Your Spell,” 

Sophie-Maude isn’t just sharing music; she’s starting a movement — one that breaks stigma, sparks conversation, and reminds listeners that authenticity is its own kind of magic.

Sophie-Maude will perform her newly released single live with her full band at a special launch show on November 22 at Big Fan. Supported by two talented Auckland-based artists, the night will be a celebration of music and purpose — with all ticket proceeds donated to charity.

Tickets are $20 and available via Under The Radar or Sophie-Maude’s “Under Your Spell” will be available on all streaming platforms from November 14.

'Seth Haapu' Returns with New Single 'Ranginui'

Award-winning artist and psychologist Seth Haapu (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) returns with his latest single “Ranginui” — a Pacific Soul meditation on acceptance, healing, and release through atua pūrākau (ancestral narratives).

Named after the sky father whose tears fall as rain, Ranginui moves from intimate, stripped-back verses into a soaring R&B soundscape, where taonga pūoro and modern soul textures intertwine. Written and produced by Haapu, and co-produced by Noema Te Hau, the song continues his kaupapa of using waiata as rongoā (healing medicine) — an approach grounded in both artistry and lived experience.

“I wrote this during a difficult season of change,” says Seth Haapu “When it rains, it pours — and I couldn’t pretend otherwise. Reading about our atua reminded me that sound itself was born from the desire to transform. Looking to Ranginui, I realised healing isn’t about stopping the rain; it’s about trusting the cycle.”

Currently completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland, Seth's thesis Te Oro Oranga explores waiata as a healing practice for rangatahi Māori. Through his dual roles as composer (Kēhua Music) and researcher, he continues to treat sound not just as creative expression, but as rongoā — music as medicine.

As a producer, Seth has collaborated with artists including Whirimako Black, Stan Walker, TEEKS, and Maisey Rika, earning both the APRA Maioha Award (2021) and Best Hip Hop & R&B Album at the Waiata Māori Music Awards (2024).

Ranginui marks the beginning of a new chapter for Seth, offering the first glimpse into his forthcoming 2026 album — a continuation of his exploration into transformation, spirituality, and sonic healing.

The single is distributed by DRM NZ and supported by Te Māngai Pāho.

About Seth Haapu

Seth Haapu is an award-winning artist, producer, and psychologist whose work explores the deep connection between sound, identity, and healing. Through Kēhua Music, he has collaborated with leading Māori artists and earned recognition from the Waiata Māori Music Awards. Currently completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland, Seth’s research thesis Te Oro Oranga examines waiata as rongoā — music as a form of healing for rangatahi Māori. His latest single, Ranginui, embodies this kaupapa, blending taonga pūoro and contemporary soul to reflect his belief that true healing comes not from stopping the rain, but from trusting the cycle.

Ch! Nonso announces new single “JJC” and an intimate Mt Eden show to celebrate the release

AfroSoul artist Ch! Nonso returns with JJC, out Thursday 14 November 2025, accompanied by an intimate live show, Something With Soul (with, at NiceGoblin Collective HQ in Mt Eden, Auckland. The new single continues Nonso’s exploration of identity, belonging, and cultural duality—blending influences from Nigeria and Aotearoa into one warm, rhythmic soundscape.

Following September’s NZ On Air–funded release “My Own,” “JJC” further expands the sonic and emotional world Ch! Nonso is building—one rooted in honesty, heritage, and home.

“JJC is my ode to summer in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa,” Nonso shares. “It stands for Johnny Just Come, a Nigerian term for ‘Fresh Off the Boat.’ I wanted to capture that strange, familiar feeling of finding warmth and safety in a new home, while still seeing it through the eyes of where you came from.”

Produced and co-produced by Mazbou Q, JJC brings together sounds from Lagos and Tāmaki Makaurau, creating a bridge between the two cities that have shaped his story. “It’s not every day Ikeja and Oshodi share space with Aotea Square and Karangahape Road in a song,” he adds. “It feels like a personal time capsule.”

The single’s release will be marked the same night with Something With Soul(With Michael Howell and Dave Schaevitz). A stripped-back, acoustic evening of music and reflection. The venue, NiceGoblin HQ, holds special meaning for Nonso: it’s where he launched his debut EP Kola Nuts & Chardonnay. Returning to the same creative tattoo space, this performance offers a deeply personal experience that honours his beginnings while revealing what’s next.

Ch! Nonso is fast becoming a name to know in the Aotearoa music scene. In 2023, he performed at Going Global, the country’s leading boutique music conference and showcase. This year, he was named a Top 5 finalist for the 2025 APRA Silver Scroll | Kaitito Kaiaka, alongside long-time friend and collaborator Mazbou Q, for their track “TORQUE.” Written by Mazbou Q (Hugh Ozumba) and Ch! Nonso (Emmanuel Chinonso Nwachukwu) and performed by Mazbou Q, the song cemented both artists as vital voices in the evolving soundscape of Aotearoa.

ZED TEAM UP WITH BOH RUNGA FOR NEW SINGLE “ANOTHER YOU”

Iconic Kiwi band ZED return with their brand-new single “Another You”, featuring New Zealand music legend Boh Runga (Stellar*). The track was produced by Nic Manders, winner of Producer of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards, and marks another standout moment in ZED’s celebrated career.

Frontman Nathan King says the song was born out of a moody moment of inspiration:

“I’d found an old keyboard with this auto-chord setting, and it was pumping out these moody chords that conjured up the idea of someone heartbroken about losing a longtime love — the song kinda tumbled out from there.

I knew almost from the get-go the story in the lyric was two-sided, so it was awesome to have Boh join me singing on it. We go way back to our first tours together in the 90s with ZED and Stellar*, so it’s a bit of a full-circle moment having her on the track — she nailed the vibe perfectly.”

“Another You” follows on from ZED’s 2024 album Future Memory and builds on a legacy that includes some of New Zealand’s most beloved hits — “Renegade Fighter,” “Glorafilia,” and “Hard to Find Her.”

Fans will get to see the band live this summer as ZED join Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, and Hoodoo Gurus on the Greenstone Summer Concert Series in January.

“Another You” featuring Boh Runga is out now on all streaming platforms.

INTRODUCING THEIA’S PHENOMENAL DEBUT ALBUM GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD

Theia’s career-defining debut album GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD is out today! The award-winning NZ-born, LA-based singer and songwriter has also announced an album release show at Whammy in Tāmaki Makaurau on Friday, February 27. Tickets are on sale now! 

Her most powerful work yet – the phenomenal 10-track GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD blends Theia’s trademark ethereal vocals and haunting harmonies with Māori instrumentation and contemporary soundscapes to create a unique sound that defies categorisation.

A fierce proponent for the revitalisation of Māori language and culture, GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD sees Theia (Waikato, Ngaati Tiipaa, Ngaati Aaamaru) imparting poignant and timely messages of hope, resilience and above all, tino rangatiratanga!

The album features the singles ‘BALDH3AD!’ (a finalist for ‘Single of the Year’ at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards); ‘Hoki Whenua Mai (Return The Land)’; ‘Pray 4 Me’; ‘Patupaiarehe’; ‘My Sister’s Hands In Mine’ featuring US avant-folk luminary Jolie Holland and the new single - the blistering female empowerment anthem, ‘HINE-NUI-TE-PŌ’.

“Hine-Nui-Te-Pō is our eternal mother and kaitiaki of death and Rarohenga - the underworld. She is the embodiment and example of our traditional worldview that women are the givers, and the takers of life,” explains Theia, who co-produced the album with Abraham Kunin (Dalai Lama, Home Brew, TE KAAHU). 

“I wanted to expose the demonization she has been faced with by the unrelenting male gaze painting her as a malevolent goddess of sex and punishment. As the missionaries removed penises from our carvings, the feminine power of our eternal mother has been erased too by colonial misogyny. Pitting Māui as the hero and Hine-Nui-Te-Pō as the villainous witch. It is on us to educate about her story - I wanted to exalt her power in this waiata.”

Those who have followed Theia’s journey in music, including the success of her award-winning alt-folk project TE KAAHU, will already know the beauty of her voice and the depth and strength of her songwriting. And GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD is no exception! The enigmatic singer and songwriter turns stories passed down through generations into powerful songs of resistance and heart-breaking ballads. There is no question that the songs are challenging, but they carry important messages, which are resonating with people around the globe. 

“With every release Theia reaffirms her place as one of the most innovative indigenous artists on the global stage - unafraid to use her voice, her culture and her artistry to ignite change”

- Native Max Magazine

“These waiata recall historic happenings, like the Tohunga Suppression Act; the loss of our native tongue through the missionary school system and the raupatu of the Waikato Wars,” says Theia.

“Through music, I hope to provide crucial resources for the betterment of my hapū and fellow rangatahi, alongside our Indigenous relatives overseas. I believe there is such strength in being able to look back on the past to inform our future and healing.”

Theia and her band will be performing songs from GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD at Flying Out in Auckland on Saturday, November 8 at 2pm. She will also be presenting the album in its entirety, with a full band, at her Whammy show in Tāmaki on Friday, February 27, 2026. Stay tuned for more NZ tour dates soon to be announced!

Theia Bio

There is an undeniable strength that runs through all that Theia does. The Ōtautahi-born artist (Ngaati Tiipaa, Ngaati Aamaru, Te Ahiwaru) is at the forefront of a new generation of young Māori creatives determined to smash through the glass ceiling. The fiercely independent singer, songwriter and storyteller effortlessly straddles the two worlds of her avant-garde namesake and her award-winning reo rangatira project, TE KAAHU. Both music projects reflect Theia’s artistry and demonstrate a powerful and poetic beauty, set to different sonic landscapes. 

Theia emerged on the scene in 2016 with her breakthrough electro-pop hit ‘Roam’ – one of the most played locally-made songs on New Zealand commercial radio that year. The song also received radio play in Australia and Asia and has been streamed more than 16 million times across DSPs. Her debut EP (released by Warner Music) followed and earned Theia three nominations at the 2017 Vodafone NZ Music Awards, including ‘Pop Artist Of The Year’, ‘Single Of The Year’ and ‘Peoples’ Choice Award’.

In 2018, Theia released the NOT YOUR PRINCESS EP featuring ‘Bye Bye’ co-written with the legendary Mike Elizondo (Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J Blige) and ‘Bad Idea’ co-written with Grammy-winning Emily Warren (Dua Lipa, The Chainsmokers). 

Parting ways with her label, Theia released her first independent body of work - the 99% ANGEL mixtape – in 2020. It saw her experimenting with edgier alt-pop and hard-hitting lyricism and received critical acclaim from the likes of Billboard Magazine, which declared: “Theia is one of the most exciting voices to emerge from NZ in the last five years.”

Theia began writing songs in her native tongue, te reo Maori, while in lockdown. It led to her launching the award-winning alt-folk project TE KAAHU, which occupies its own space on streaming platforms. The project’s debut album TE KAAHU O RANGI (2022) drew global attention and was awarded the prestigious Taite Prize: Best Independent Debut.

Other notable accolades include a Grammy consideration for Alternative Album of the Year and nominations in the Rolling Stone NZ Awards (2022 and 2023), the Aotearoa Music Awards (2023), the APRA Maioha Award (2023), the Waiata Māori Music Awards (2023) and the Student Radio Network Awards (2023, 2025).

A mesmerising performer, Theia has played at many of Aotearoa’s largest festivals and has toured extensively across Australasia, Canada and the USA. Recent live highlights include WOMAD (NZ), Splore (NZ), Women’s Freedom Festival (LA), Block Heater (Calgary), SheFest (San Diego), Missoula Pride, Sum of Us (California), Pioneer Fest (Seattle), Belltown Bloom (Seattle) and Westside Culture Fest (Utah). She has opened for Peaches, Sia, Charli XCX, Mika, Los Bitchos and Portugal. The Man.

Theia has also taken TE KAAHU on the road, touring throughout New Zealand as well as North America. Live highlights include WOMAD (NZ), CubaDupa (NZ), Auckland Folk Festival (NZ), Hamilton Arts Festival (NZ), The Others Way (NZ), Camp A Low Hum (NZ), Big Sound (Brisbane), Calgary Folk Music Festival, Folk on the Rocks (Yellowknife), Lightning In A Bottle (California), Folk Alliance (Montreal) and support slots for Canadian folk-soul artist Frazey Ford, NZ dream-pop queen Fazerdaze and NZ rock-funk legends Dimmer.

Theia released her highly anticipated debut solo album, GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD, on November 7. The 10-track record, which she co-produced with Abraham Kunin, is a glorious fusion of alternative music with ethereal folk, Indigenous soul, alt-pop and art rock influences. It includes her politically charged anthems, ‘Patupaiarehe’, ‘Hoki Whenua Mai (Return The Land)’ and ‘BALDH3AD!’ - a finalist for ‘Single of the Year’ at the Aotearoa Music Awards (2025).

Theia has a Bachelor of Arts Degree double majoring in Te Reo Rangatira and Māori & Indigenous Studies from the University of Canterbury and is preparing to undertake her MA in Indigenous Studies at the University of Auckland. In 2024, was Mātairangi Mahi Toi – Artist In Residence at Massey University in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) and she is the newly announced Ambassador for Oceania in the Indigenous Youth Storyteller’s Circle - established in 2019 as an official project of the UN year of Indigenous languages.

The celebrated songwriter has twice been a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. Her Theia catalogue includes several collabs - the powerful bilingual waiata ‘CREEP’ with Vayne and the haunting ballad ‘My Sister’s Hands In Mine’ featuring US folk legend Jolie Holland. Meanwhile, TE KAAHU has collaborated with Australian-based ARIA-nominated Māori artist Jen Cloher on ‘He Toka-Tu-Moana’ and also with NZ troubadour Delaney Davidson on ‘I Ngooku Moemoeaa’.

An artist of integrity and exceptional talent, Theia’s ability to use music as a vehicle for social change and advocate for ‘tino rangatiratanga’ makes her a force to be reckoned with.