MariaClara Releases Official Music Video for “08:30 (Peace of Mind)”
Following the release of her latest single 08:30 (Peace of Mind), Brazilian-born Aotearoa artist Maria Clara releases the official music video today, expanding the song’s message of self-focus into a playful visual narrative. This video is also being premiered on Juice TV, marking its broadcast debut.
Following the release of her latest single 08:30 (Peace of Mind), Brazilian-born Aotearoa artist Maria Clara releases the official music video today, expanding the song’s message of self-focus into a playful visual narrative. This video is also being premiered on Juice TV, marking its broadcast debut.
Directed, filmed and edited by Auckland-based creative director James Harrison, the video portrays two contrasting versions of Maria Clara. One character, dressed in bright colours, moves calmly through everyday life, grounded and carefree; while the other is animated and dressed in black and white, relentlessly chasing her, embodying restlessness and overthinking.
As the pursuit unfolds, the central character remains unfazed, visually echoing the song’s lyric and message: finding peace of mind means no longer reacting to every demand for your attention.
“The song came from learning to slow down and protect my energy,” says Maria Clara. “The video became a way of showing what it feels like when your anxious thoughts are still there, but you’ve stopped letting them control you.”
Created in collaboration with the Parallel Layers Collective, the project highlights the importance of community-driven creativity and emerging artists supporting one another across disciplines.
Harrison, a multidisciplinary artist known for his nostalgic and experimental visual style, approaches filmmaking as an extension of storytelling. Treating the camera as a “paintbrush,” his work blends movement, emotion and lived experience to translate an artist’s inner world onto screen.
Brazilian-born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand, Maria Clara creates relaxed yet expressive music shaped by collaboration and curiosity across genres. Blending indie pop, jazz and Brazilian influences, her work explores presence, self-reflection and emotional ease, with new projects currently expanding into bossa nova and folk alongside musician and producer Sam Stretch.
Chart-topping up-and-comer Ella Pollett shines bright on her new indie-pop gem, ‘A Name I Knew’
Ella Pollett is one of Aotearoa pop music’s most exciting new voices and she’s kicking off New Zealand Music Month with a bang - her new single ‘A Name I Knew’. The young singer and songwriter has been making waves in her hometown of Napier for a few years now. But it was her NZ on Air funded single ‘Losing My Mind’ - released in October last year - that drew nationwide attention and saw her topping the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles chart.
Ella Pollett is one of Aotearoa pop music’s most exciting new voices and she’s kicking off New Zealand Music Month with a bang - her new single ‘A Name I Knew’.
The young singer and songwriter has been making waves in her hometown of Napier for a few years now. But it was her NZ on Air funded single ‘Losing My Mind’ - released in October last year - that drew nationwide attention and saw her topping the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles chart.
Now Ella returns with her first single of 2026, the indie-pop gem ‘A Name I Knew’. A powerful song, it highlights Ella’s honest and relatable storytelling lyricism, as well as her knack for turning out infectious pop hooks and strong melodies that leave you wanting more.
“I’m drawn to music that feels real and honest,” says Ella.
Ella explains that ‘A Name I Knew’ is about “holding onto someone who has already started to feel like a stranger. It captures that in-between stage where nothing has fully ended, but everything has changed. Memories still feel close, but the connection doesn’t.”
With a mix of nostalgia, vulnerability and quiet acceptance woven throughout the track - produced by Nigel Mauchline - ‘A Name I Knew’ also sees the talented singer and songwriter delving more into a moodier and atmospheric soundscape; showcasing an artist who’s not resting on her laurels but rather honing her craft and pushing into new sonic spaces.
Ella is one of Lil Sister’s Rising Stars - an initiative which aims to shine a spotlight on Aotearoa’s newest and brightest emerging acts. And this powerful new song sees Ella living up to her reputation as one of New Zealand’s most exciting new talents.
Aotearoa award-winning indie folk artist, Mel Parsons, announces new album CASTLE HILL - out August 7 + releases delicate new single and video, ‘Grain By Grain’
Critically acclaimed singer and songwriter Mel Parsons has today announced her seventh studio album, CASTLE HILL, set for release on August 7. The news comes alongside her latest single, the emotive new ballad ‘Grain By Grain’
Critically acclaimed singer and songwriter Mel Parsons has today announced her seventh studio album, CASTLE HILL, set for release on August 7. The news comes alongside her latest single, the emotive new ballad ‘Grain By Grain’
CASTLE HILL will join the ranks of Parsons’ celebrated previous records; her 2019 album GLASS HEART winning Best Folk Artist at the AMA’s and her most recent album SABOTAGE (2024) being nominated for the prestigious Taite Prize and Album of the Year at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards. Mel has just been announced as a finalist at the 2026 AMA’s for Best Folk Artist, the awards taking place on May 28.
“This album [SABOTAGE] really locates the mournful quality in Mel Parsons’ voice, and highlights what a remarkable instrument it is; oceans of feeling sounded out with apparently little effort”
- Tony Stamp, RNZ
Out today in tandem with the announcement is Parsons’ heartfelt new single ‘Grain By Grain’. Like the gentle push and pull of the ocean, ‘Grain By Grain’ embraces the feeling of being washed and worn away by the tide; each time reshaping with continuous change.
“Loosely, ‘Grain By Grain’ is an ocean metaphor - the beach being washed and worn away only to be built back up again; but in a different way, by different tides, on different days,” says Parsons. “The song embodies a sense of calm - an acceptance of how things are the present moment.”
The single comes with a new music video - behind the scenes on tour, with Parsons and her band warming up for a show on the floor of famed Lyttelton venue ‘Loons’. Filmed and edited by Adam Hogan of LORE Films, the visuals feature long time bandmates Jed Parsons, Aaron Stewart and Josh Logan.
The single joins her latest releases: the nostalgic ‘Caravan’, which followed ‘Don’t Leave The Light On’ - a heart-rending alt-folk ballad which laid bare the harsh reality of domestic abuse. 2025 saw ‘Be Here Now’ featuring Mitchell Froom (Crowded House) on keys, ‘Brick By Brick’ and ‘Post High Slide’ - all of which spent multiple weeks on RadioScope’s alternative music charts.
Mel Parsons is one of Aotearoa’s most celebrated songwriters and prolific touring musicians. Recent years have seen her extensively touring both sides of the Tasman, opening for Crowded House, performing at Folk Alliance in Montreal, Canada and, most recently, headlining Auckland Folk Festival.
MARIA CLARA BLENDS JAZZ AND POP IN HER NEW SINGLE: “08:30 (Peace of Mind)” out today
To kick off NZ Music Month, Maria Clara releases her first single of the year through DRM today: Friday 1st May. Blending indie pop with jazz influences, “08:30 (Peace of Mind)” reflects on the importance of self-prioritising and learning to protect one’s energy.
To kick off NZ Music Month, Maria Clara releases her first single of the year through DRM today: Friday 1st May. Blending indie pop with jazz influences, “08:30 (Peace of Mind)” reflects on the importance of self-prioritising and learning to protect one’s energy.
Supported by the Parallel Layers Collective, a music video will follow on Friday 8 May; directed, filmed and edited by James Harrison.
The song was written and recorded at BIGFAN Studios as part of the “Weekender Vol.1” songwriting camp, where Maria Clara collaborated with producer Jessica Leigh and guitarist and co-writer Callum Lee. It was later mixed and mastered by Madilyn Povey.
Written during a period of reflection, the single explores the quiet realisation that caring for others must also include caring for oneself.
“I realised I couldn’t keep pouring into others without giving myself space to breathe. I’m still learning to do that, which explains why I’m still always running late!”
Brazilian-born and raised in Aotearoa, Maria Clara creates relaxed yet expressive music shaped by collaboration and curiosity across genres. Drawing inspiration from her Brazilian heritage, she has recently begun exploring bossa nova and folk influences, including a new project alongside musician and producer Sam Stretch.
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.