ZENTARGE release velvety new single, ‘Life of a Mischief’
After more than a decade of live performance, refining their sound and connecting with audiences across Aotearoa, Hamilton-based sibling duo ZENTARGE return with their latest single, “Life of a Mischief,” out today. Blending contemporary R&B and reggae with a strong dancehall influence, “Life of a Mischief” delivers a playful, late-night energy grounded in real-life experience.
After more than a decade of live performance, refining their sound and connecting with audiences across Aotearoa, Hamilton-based sibling duo ZENTARGE return with their latest single, “Life of a Mischief,” out today.
Brothers Zenith and Targe Tawhara-Crown (ZENTARGE) have built their journey from the ground up - shaped by years of street busking from a young age, live performances, strong whānau support, and a commitment to creating music that is both honest and relatable. Now balancing university life with a growing music career, the duo continue to build momentum with each release.
Blending contemporary R&B and reggae with a strong dancehall influence, “Life of a Mischief” delivers a playful, late-night energy grounded in real-life experience.
Centred around the idea of being a “mischief,” the track explores a carefree, slightly rebellious mindset where connection, impulse, and atmosphere take over. The lyrics are shaped by the duo’s university lifestyle and the social environments that come with it, giving the song an authentic and relatable edge.
Following their previous release “Tall Poppy,” the single continues to showcase ZENTARGE’s versatility, moving between reflective storytelling and more expressive, feel-good energy.
ZENTARGE are an Aotearoa-based sibling duo made up of brothers Zenith and Targe Tawhara-Crown. With over a decade of live performance experience, the pair have built their journey from the ground up, from street busking at a young age to performing across the North Island.
Now postgraduate students at the University of Waikato, ZENTARGE are entering a new phase as recording artists, translating their experience as live entertainers into a sound that connects both nationally and globally. Their music blends R&B, soul, and contemporary influences with honest, relatable storytelling, grounded in strong cultural and personal foundations.
With momentum building, the duo are currently working toward a larger body of work set for release in 2026.
Midwave Breaks Predict the Future with Latest Single Release ‘A Thousand Years’
Midwave Breaks know a thing or two about time — it's the heart of their new single, and they’re choosing their moment well, releasing A Thousand Years today to celebrate NZ Music Month with something positive, hopeful, and built to last. The song is an upbeat, anthemic reflection on long-term love — not the falling kind, but the kind that's already been everywhere and chosen to stay.
Midwave Breaks know a thing or two about time — it's the heart of their new single, and they’re choosing their moment well, releasing A Thousand Years on Friday May 1st to celebrate NZ Music Month with something positive, hopeful, and built to last.
The song is an upbeat, anthemic reflection on long-term love — not the falling kind, but the kind that's already been everywhere and chosen to stay. It's warm, hook-driven, and has something genuine at its core. Guitarist and singer-songwriter Bruce Conlon wrote it about his wife, and the honesty in his words speaks for itself:
"For me, it's that we’ve been through so much of life together, for so long — the absolute best of times, and some of the shittiest times. And knowing that this is us, who we are, we'll be together through it all, no matter how long, not just because of how we feel, but because of where we've already been.”
At their core, Midwave Breaks are a Rock band — but their record collection and live shows often tell a more complex story, and for this latest release, they found inspiration from an unexpected source. After watching I'm Tim — the documentary about the life and death of Swedish DJ and producer Tim Bergling, better known as Avicii — Bruce and Paul found themselves drawn to one of his most recognisable songwriting traits: a simple, powerful melodic phrase that anchors the entire track. That influence runs through the heart of A Thousand Years, providing a strong, repeated central motif that sticks long after the last note fades.
The band are longstanding and enthusiastic supporters of NZ Music Month, regularly using the platform to shine a light on work from fellow local artists, both past and present. This year, they're proud to be adding their own new music to the conversation.
A Thousand Years is available from Friday May 1st on all streaming platforms, and downloadable from bandcamp.com.
Midwave Breaks arrive at this release with real momentum behind them - previous single Waste of Time is still turning heads on rock radio across Aotearoa. Now, with A Thousand Years adding to a growing string of successful singles, the band are closing in on something bigger: their debut full-length album of all new material, currently in it’s final stages, independently produced in the hills overlooking the Bay of Plenty, is due to land in the coming months.
The Response are back with single ‘Hollow Hour’
Following the breakout success of their single “Where Do You Run To?” - which spent nine consecutive weeks as the #1 rock song on New Zealand radio charts - The Response returns with their powerful new track, “Hollow Hour.” The release arrives on the heels of a successful Australian tour in February, playing packed out venues while supporting Transvision Vamp, expanding their reach across the Tasman.
Following the breakout success of their single “Where Do You Run To?” - which spent nine consecutive weeks as the #1 rock song on New Zealand radio charts - The Response returns with their powerful new track, “Hollow Hour.” The release arrives on the heels of a successful Australian tour in February, playing packed out venues while supporting Transvision Vamp, expanding their reach across the Tasman. Presented with the opportunity to test new material on the road, “Hollow Hour” proved to be a hit with live audiences and makes the perfect next step for the duo.
Propelled by a walking melodic bass line, Hollow Hour relaxes into a mid-tempo stroll with a hint of unease bubbling under the surface. Part Cage The Elephant, and part Arctic Monkeys.
The brooding verse explodes into a chorus of chainsaw guitars and Andy’s understated delivery of “Wonder how much more you can take..”. The discordant unison bends evoke Nirvana posters on bedroom walls, the choppy start-stop drums blowing up the lyrics as they give way to paranoia.
Hollow Hour is available on all major streaming platforms on April 29th. Fans can follow The Response on social media for updates on upcoming releases.
South For Winter Named As Grand Prize Winner for Indie Acoustic Project’s “Album of the Year” With Concept Album, Of Sea and Sky
New Zealand-formed South for Winter, the internationally-touring folk-rock duo renowned for their enchanting melodies and introspective lyricism, has just won the Indie Acoustic Project (IAP)’s “Album of the Year” and “Best AAA Album” for 2024-2025 with their independently-released concept album, Of Sea and Sky.
New Zealand-formed South for Winter, the internationally-touring folk-rock duo renowned for their enchanting melodies and introspective lyricism, has just won the Indie Acoustic Project (IAP)’s “Album of the Year” and “Best AAA Album” for 2024-2025 with their independently-released concept album, Of Sea and Sky. Recorded and produced in Nashville TN alongside two-time GRAMMY award-winner, Matt Leigh, Of Sea and Sky weaves a tapestry of diverse songs unified by celestial and maritime elements. The album has received an outpouring of support since its debut in 2024, raising over $21,000 (>141% of goal) in Kickstarter contributions to fund its independent release, garnering millions of streams, and continuing to collect accolades and critical acclaim. Instrumental “Tears of an Albatross” is currently listed as a Finalist in the International Songwriting Competition and was a Semi-Finalist in this year’s American Songwriter song contest, while single “Underneath the Blood Moon” has previously been named as a Semi-Finalist in both the Americana and Music Video categories of the International Songwriting Competition.
From the delicate instrumental that opens the album, "Tears of an Albatross (Part 1)", listeners are beckoned onto a diverse musical journey. One minute, they’re being pulled into the dreamy
world of “Sky Side (Side A)” with finger-picked guitar, angelic vocals, and emotive cello; and the next, they’re dragged into the depths of “Sea Side (Side B)” with swampy blues licks, roaring vocal melodies, and heavy rock rhythms. Each lyric and soundscape has been meticulously crafted to fit its corresponding album side, emphasizing the conceptual thread that weaves these fourteen songs into one seamless creation. South for Winter’s proficiency at melding genres into one unique sound has once again been proven, and each track on the album Of Sea and Sky invites listeners to immerse themselves in the band’s dreamy folk-rock soundscape.
Lead guitarist and songwriter Nick Stone reveals that the album took years of brainstorming to conceptualize. “We had a lot of time to think about the direction we wanted to go in while we were touring together in a van,” says Stone. “We knew we wanted to lean into a bluesier sound for ‘Sea Side’, since that fits the theme - and we also knew we wanted to pull inspiration from post-rock music for ‘Sky Side’, since that fits that theme. Trying to combine our influences into one cohesive sound has been our goal for years, and this album feels like we’ve finally figured it out.”
Lead singer and songwriter Dani Stone describes the album as both a creative and artistic challenge, to which the band rose to the occasion. "From the moment we had the idea for this concept album, every choice had to be really intentional," she says. "Like the amount of reverb on the vocals, the simplified drum parts that give the acoustic instruments room to breathe, the song stories and the lyrical choices… everything had to fit the album’s concept perfectly. We did lots of pre-production, re-writing, song critiques, and touring for two years before recording to make sure we could achieve the vision we wanted - and we’re really proud that we managed to do it.”
Of Sea and Sky is available on all major streaming platforms. Fans can also purchase physical copies of the album here.
RISING POP ARTIST ZOË VERA UNVEILS AN INTIMATE AND EMPOWERING DEBUT EP WITH LIVE HARDER
ZOË VERA is a courageous and resilient woman, and her debut EP LIVE HARDER is testament to the profound well of quiet strength she drew on to survive and overcome trauma - so that she could emerge, against the odds, a stronger and more visible version of herself.
Five tracks of electro-pop detailing one woman’s highly personal journey of processing and transforming extraordinary internalised pain into a powerful, healing musical response, as she embarked on the intense journey of rebuilding of her life.
ZOË VERA is a courageous and resilient woman, and her debut EP LIVE HARDER is testament to the profound well of quiet strength she drew on to survive and overcome trauma - so that she could emerge, against the odds, a stronger and more visible version of herself.
The final and title track on the EP, ‘Live Harder’ is about hitting a point of two choices: let what’s been done to you destroy you, or recognise that you’ve already survived the worst.
It's about realising your resilience. It’s about accepting that you can’t control people. You can’t stop cruelty, and you can’t stop the existence of darkness, but you can control how you respond.
And ‘Live Harder’ is that response.
On the track, Zoë: says “’Live Harder’ is about choosing how you respond when life tries to break you. I can’t control what people do, but I can control how I live. And I choose to live fully, loudly, and unapologetically, despite everything."
Recently making Rolling Stone’s Best NZ Music of the Week list, and with debut interviews on The Hits and The Edge, Auckland singer-songwriter Zoë Vera is set to release her debut EP Live Harder on April 24th.
Following her previous Live Harder single releases, ‘White', 'Good Enough’, ‘Twelve Feet Under’ and ‘Dizzying’, the final track, ‘Live Harder’, completes the EP and its harrowing, life-changing and trauma-informed narrative.
The Live Harder EP was produced by highly respected and multi-talented local musician Danny McCrum, with the single ‘Live harder’ featuring keys by renowned Los Angeles-based musician Alexander Burke, who between them, have worked with heavy-hitting music legends such as Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Ferry, to name a few.
Instead of shutting down, Zoë chooses to rise. Because sometimes the most powerful form of resilience, and the best kind of revenge is simply refusing to be diminished, and choosing to live harder anyway. To live louder, fuller, and more freely than ever before.
"Baby Heavyweight" Delaney Davidson Announces New Album and NZ Tour
Baby Heavyweight, born in a kitchen in Switzerland, is Delaney Davidson’s 11th solo album. Somewhat more groovy than his previous releases, this is the second album he has made with Merk (Mark Perkins). Building on the smooth depth of the previous album “Out Of My Head”, and taking it into a new realm of story telling and emotive music.
Baby Heavyweight, born in a kitchen in Switzerland, is Delaney Davidson’s 11th solo album. Somewhat more groovy than his previous releases, this is the second album he has made with Merk (Mark Perkins). Building on the smooth depth of the previous album “Out Of My Head”, and taking it into a new realm of story telling and emotive music.
Delaney pitches himself headlong into the realm of shaman and trickster, navigating themes of trauma, loss, heartache, poison and cynicism and love, reinventing himself song after song to give a fuller and more multifaceted picture than we have ever seen of him before. Collapsing roles as quickly as they are introduced the albums fluidity and movement is at times cathartic and others polemic.
The theme of Lucifer seeking his own redemption through recontextualising his past, is the strongly themed undercurrent that weaves the albums 13 songs together. Universal concepts such as coming to terms with the roles we have been cast, learning to see our own trials as heroic, accepting love and surrendering the anger that masks the pain, are abundant.
Charting through a heady mix of influences, Delaney weaves a circular story of the hero’s journey circling the full gamut of emotional experience. Featuring co- writes with Kommi, Barry Saunders, Marlon Williams, Sean Wheeler ( LA’s Westcoast skater punk scene), Tami Neilson and old Dead Brother - Pierre Omer, Delaney shows again his diverse range of musical connections and versatility as both songwriter and collaborator.
Delaney Davidson On Tour in July
Hitting the road with a stacked band featuring Heather Webb, Cass Basil, Alex Freer and Ryan Fisherman, Delaney sets his sights on a show that will deliver the album in all its complexity and nuance. Truly something to be witnessed. Do Not Miss Out.
This nationwide tour is possible thanks to NZ On Air funding and the support of the NZ Music Commission.
Fri 03rd July - Auckland Cabaret Festival, Wintergarden: The Civic
Sat 04th July - Auckland Cabaret Festival, Wintergarden: The Civic
Wed 08th July - Last Place, Hamilton
Thurs 09th July - 4th Wall Theatre, New Plymouth
Fri 10th July - St. Peter’s Hall, Paekākāriki
Fri 17th July - The Boathouse, Nelson
Sat 18th July - Meow, Wellington
Sun 19th July - War Memorial Centre Concert Chamber, Whanganui
Fri 24th July - Errick’s, Dunedin
Sat 25th July - James Hay Theatre, Christchurch
Thur 30th July - The Small Halls Sessions, Hawkes Bay (DUO)
Friday 31st July - The Small Halls Sessions, Hawkes Bay (DUO)
Sat 01st Aug - The Dome, Gisborne (DUO)
Sun 02nd Aug - Ātea, Whakatāne (DUO)
JESSICA LEIGH UNLEASHES POP/ROCK INDIE SAPPHIC ANTHEM ‘DREAM GIRL’
Self-producing Aotearoa indie pop/rock darling Jessica Leigh delivers her second single for 2026 - Dream Girl - from her forthcoming five-track EP I WANNA BE A STAR, due for release this June. Co-written and produced by Leigh alongside Jacob Brown (Muroki, ratbag), and mixed by Noema Te Hau III, Dream Girl is an irresistibly catchy pop/rock cut that leans into Leigh’s signature storytelling and tongue-in-cheek lyricism.
Self-producing Aotearoa indie pop/rock darling Jessica Leigh delivers her second single for 2026 - Dream Girl - from her forthcoming five-track EP I WANNA BE A STAR, due for release this June.
Co-written and produced by Leigh alongside Jacob Brown (Muroki, ratbag), and mixed by Noema Te Hau III, Dream Girl is an irresistibly catchy pop/rock cut that leans into Leigh’s signature storytelling and tongue-in-cheek lyricism.
The track follows Leigh as she attempts to move on from a past relationship,finding closure in an unexpecteddreamwhereaformerloverappears-offeringexplanationandforgivenessbefore she wakes to confront the emotions it stirs.
Sonically, Dream Girl opens with thick, electric guitar power chords, setting the tone for a gritty, guitar-driven track. It steadily builds in intensity, layering acoustic guitar, live drums and organic textures, before bursting into a soaring chorus packed with lush synths and stacked background vocals.
The single follows Leigh’s recent independent release I WANNA BE A STAR, which was written, produced and mixed entirely by Leigh and earned placement across multiple global Apple Music editorial playlists. Dream Girl also marks her first openly sapphic release, as she continues to carve out her identity as an artist, songwriter and producer.
To celebrate the release, Leigh will perform a special support slot at Auckland’s BIG FAN. Alongside her own work, she has also been steadily building a reputation producing for other female and LGBTQIA+ artists - establishing herself as a fresh, disruptive voice in the industry.
As the second taste of her June EP, Dream Girl signals a bold and assured new chapter for Jessica Leigh.
Will McClean x Young Gho$t Return with Second Single “No Giving Up” Ahead of Collaborative Album Release.
Following the release of their debut collaborative single, Wellington artists Will McClean & Young Gho$t return with “No Giving Up” releasing today. Written and performed by both artists, with production from McClean, “No Giving Up” carries a more direct and resolute energy.
Following the release of their debut collaborative single, Wellington artists Will McClean & Young Gho$t return with “No Giving Up” set for release April 24th.
Written and performed by both artists, with production from McClean, “No Giving Up” carries a more direct and resolute energy. Where the first single leaned into ease and reflection, this release sharpens the focus - built on a soulful sample, steady drums, and layered melodies that helps reinforce the track’s core message of persistence.
There’s a clarity to “No Giving Up”. The record speaks to consistency over time - staying the course, maintaining belief, and moving with intention regardless of external pressure. Both artists deliver measured, deliberate performances, balancing introspection with quiet confidence. It’s not framed as a struggle for the sake of it, but as a commitment to process - showing up, staying level, and continuing forward.
As the second release from the upcoming project, “No Giving Up” expands on the themes introduced in “Sippin’ On The Wine” - patience, growth, and self-awareness - while reinforcing the foundation of the album as a whole. The collaboration continues to reflect a shared mindset developed over years of performing, creating, and moving within Wellington’s music community.
The upcoming album stands as a fully collaborative body of work, with both artists present across the entire record. Will McClean shapes the sonic direction from the ground up, while Young Gho$t brings a sharp, composed vocal presence that complements and challenges in equal measure. Together, the project is built on discipline, trust in timing, and a clear sense of identity - no excess, no compromise.
With a full music video ready for release, “No Giving Up” offers a deeper look into the tone of the project: focused, grounded, and committed to the long run.
“No Giving Up” is available on all major streaming platforms from April 24th.