The Others Way Festival Says Farewell

After more than a decade as one of Aotearoa’s most beloved independent music festivals, The Others Way will not return in 2026 or beyond. Organisers Banished Music say the decision comes after years of mounting financial pressure, rising industry costs and an increasingly unstable live music & funding landscape, making the festival no longer sustainable to deliver. Since launching in 2015, The Others Way has become a defining celebration of independent music, creativity and community on Auckland’s Karangahape Road, earning a reputation as a vital platform for emerging artists and music discovery.

It is with a truly heavy heart and weary soul, we share that The Others Way festival will not be continuing in 2026 or beyond. 

We know how sad this will make a lot of people, and none sadder than us. This festival - a DIY love story and K Road juggernaut - has always been delivered by and for a community of weirdos and wonders. It has also existed uniquely as a platform for discovery, and a celebration of independent music and creativity. 

We (Banished Music) attended The Others Way as music fans for seven years (2015-2022), and then were bestowed the great honour of taking the helm to deliver it for three more magical years (2023-2025). Watching it grow, seeing artists connect with audiences in such a meaningful way, and feeling the energy that filled those spaces each year has been one of the great joys of all time. 

In 2026, trying to make a living as a mid-level independent music promoter in Aotearoa is hard. Delivering an independent boutique festival on the smell of an oily rag is extremely hard, and then throwing in the economic conditions and insane world that is 2026, you have a recipe for wild instability and stress, and very real potential outcomes like ‘we’ll be bankrupt if this goes wrong.’

In short, the magnificent joy received from delivering The Others Way is outweighed by the sheer financial strain and emotional toll it takes on us to deliver. 

Rising costs across every aspect of the entertainment industry, combined with ongoing uncertainty in the sponsorship and funding landscape, and people just doing it too tough out there to commit to buying gig tickets have created significant pressure. We’ve explored every avenue available to us seeking new & established funding partners, pursuing sponsorship opportunities, and rethinking how the festival could operate sustainably. Despite these efforts, we haven’t been able to secure the secret formula to deliver the festival in a way that meets both our standards and our financial obligations. As well as that, over time the debt that we have accumulated on this project can no longer responsibly be carried forward.

2025 - unwittingly being our send off and Swan Song - was a majestic finale for The Others Way. Closing down K Road for the party of the year felt like a real moment in time. We hope you felt it too!

We want to express deep, deep gratitude to everyone who has been part of The Others Way journey. Our venues, our production crews and site staff, our sponsors and funding partners (shout out KBA and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and NZ Music Commission), the Flying Out and Flying Nun visionaries who started this thing in the first place, the mighty Banished whanau, THOUSANDS of artists from near and far, and all you music lovers who bought a ticket over the years.

You are the reason this festival meant something real. For the love of god, if you have the means to, go out and buy a ticket today. To an independent artist’s show run by an independent promoter at an independent venue. It’s a wild time out there in the current music industry landscape of Aotearoa, and a lot of us are fighting to survive. 

OFFICIAL ARA TAIOHI YOUTH WEEK ANTHEM FOR AOTEAROA TE KARANGA TRUST RISING ARTISTS RELEASE ‘REVOLUTION’

A new waiata from Te Karanga Trust rising artists, Revolution, has been released to mark Ara Taiohi Youth Week 2026 (18–24 May) — a nationwide moment recognising the impact, creativity, and leadership of rangatahi across Aotearoa. Revolution stands as Youth Week in action, demonstrating what can happen when young people are trusted to lead, supported to create, and given the space to express themselves authentically.

Drawn from their lived experiences — their whakaaro, identity, and truth — Revolution reflects this year’s Youth Week theme, “Our Voices Matter, We Deserve to be Heard,” offering a powerful reminder that rangatahi already have a voice — what matters is whether we are listening.

Created by emerging artists from the Te Karanga Charitable Trust Bridge the Gap programme, the track brings together a diverse range of voices across Tāmaki Makaurau. AKL MADZ (Pākehā, Indian) leads the production and creative direction. TY (Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara) brings depth and emotion through her vocals. BRDG3 (Samoan, Cook Island, Indian) delivers spoken word and rap grounded in identity and lived experience, and pRieZt (Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Porou) contributes raw honesty and perspective — together forming a collective voice that reflects the strength, diversity, and creativity of rangatahi today.

It was a privilege to have Tom Scott and Haz Beats (Homebrew) as mentors, sharing their knowledge and guiding the process, while the rangatahi led the creative direction and voice of the project.

It’s been wonderful to have the support of Bigpop Studios, who are distributing Revolution across all major DSP and streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

“Revolution shows what happens when rangatahi are given space to speak — they use their voices to push for change and be heard, and our role is to listen.”
— TK White, Director of Programmes and Community Engagement, Te Karanga Charitable Trust

At its core, Revolution is about making space. The song was not created to chase a particular sound, but to hold space for honesty, difference, and stories that are not always heard. Every lyric carries meaning, and every verse comes from somewhere real — creating a track that is both personal and collective in its expression.

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This project is a collaboration between Te Karanga Charitable Trust and Ara Taiohi, the kaitiaki of Youth Week. It brings together Te Karanga’s grassroots work alongside rangatahi with Ara Taiohi’s national advocacy for a strong and connected youth development sector. Through this partnership, Revolution becomes more than a waiata — it becomes a platform for rangatahi to be seen, heard, and valued.

“Rangatahi already have the voice — our role is to listen, support, and back them.”
— Will Mark-Brown, CEO, Te Karanga Charitable Trust

More than a release, Revolution is a call to listen — a reminder that the voices of young people are already present, already powerful, and already shaping the future.

Join us for a free all-ages Youth Week event featuring live performances from the Te Karanga Revolution artists.  Friday 22 May, 6pm–9pm at The Button Factory, Auckland Central. The evening will include a special Revolution music video screening, documentary sneak peek, free sign and poster-making, plus hāngī for sale — a space to connect, create, and celebrate the voices of rangatahi.

Thabani Gapara – 'Dzindza' Live in Hastings Toitoi Opera House | 22 May 2026

For audiences across Hawke’s Bay—from the arts community to iwi and whānau—this is more than a concert. It’s a chance to come together, to feel something real, and to experience music that connects deeply to culture, identity, and shared stories.

May 22, the Hawke’s Bay community is invited to gather for a special night of music and connection as award-nominated African jazz saxophonist Thabani Gapara brings his live show Dzindza to the Toitoi Opera House.

This is a kaupapa grounded in bringing people together — through rhythm, through story, and through shared cultural understanding.

Zimbabwean-born and now based in Aotearoa, Thabani Gapara carries his heritage through his music. His album Dzindza, nominated for Best Jazz Album at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards, reflects a deep connection to ancestry, identity, and musical lineage.

Blending Afrobeat, Highlife, Mbaqanga and Mbira with influences across the African diaspora, his sound is rich in rhythm and storytelling — something that resonates strongly with Māori and Pacific musical traditions, where music holds whakapapa, memory, and connection.

Backed by a live band, this performance is not just something to watch — it is something to feel. An experience where people can come together, be present, and share in something meaningful.

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Reflecting on the project, Gapara shares: “The title Dzindza represents both the musical stories I share and my connection to my family ancestry and musical lineage. It’s a celebration of my heritage and the influences that have shaped me as an artist.”

In a time where connection is important, Dzindza – Live in Hastings offers a space for whānau and community to gather, uplift one another, and be part of a shared experience through music.

This is a night grounded in culture, connection, and community.

This special performance offers the Hawke’s Bay community the chance to experience world-class musicianship and a powerful cultural celebration that bridges continents through sound.

Hannah Virk Releases EP Love Watches and Announces Half of My Cup Album Release

Hannah Virk’s EP Love Watches presents love songs in four different forms, likened to examining love from four sides of a prismatic cube. Which would you choose? The bold and daring Love Storage, set to an entrancing beat, the classic romantic Love Later with sweeping tones of the electric guitar or the upbeat dream pop which permeates her debut album Upstairs/Downstairs in Need You PtII. 

The Love Watches EP is also home to Hannah’s holiday song Festive Seasons, released in December 2025. Festive Seasons is Hannah’s first Christmas Carol filled with the boundless joy and happiness of romance, in a catchy holiday tune that is sure to warm your heart and become a classic jingle. 

The release of the EP comes with the announcement of Hannah’s third album, Half of My Cup, set for September 2026. Half of My Cup is a collection of happy sad moments, based around things that you value but also know might get the better of you. Half of My Cup leans into Hannah’s edgy indie pop-electronic sound that defines her style. Look out for more to come and check out the new EP in the links below. 

Hannah will also be sharing an exclusive live performance video of Necklace from a Friend (Pocket Clocks) at the Undercurrent and some sneak previews into the Half of My Cup songs on her Youtube channel - head over there to check it out. 

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Solidarity in Song: Sabreen releases The End (Arabic Version) featuring Flotilla activist Rana Hamida

Marking her first collaboration, Bengali-NZ singer-songwriter Sabreen reimagines her 2025 song for Palestine ‘The End’ with an Arabic twist, featuring local Palestinian activist and artist Rana Hamida, as she sets sail for Gaza on the second Global Sumud Flotilla.

In an ode to Palestinian culture, Sabreen and producer Nate Selway poignantly weave Arabic instrumentation alongside Sabreen’s South Asian musical heritage. This reimagining builds on the hopeful message of 2025’s ‘The End’ of holding on to your loved ones even as the world feels as though it is ending, with Rana Hamida’s soulful Arabic vocals lifting the song to create something new. Inspired by Arabic poetry, the song also features a moving recitation of Mahmoud Darwish’s famed poem by Rana, ‘Forgotten As If You Never Were.’ With the inclusion of oud and baglama played by David Lawrence, tabla by Manjit Singh and sitar by Sargham Madhur, Sabreen fuses Palestinian and South Asian culture in a moving extension of her artistry and activism. 

Once again blending history, personal storytelling and authentic musical cultures, ‘The End (Arabic Version) feat. Rana Hamida’ continues to build the world of Sabreen’s second EP, set for release in 2026. This body of work will feature previously released singles ‘The End’ and ‘Countryman’, as well as four brand new songs produced with Nate Selway inspired by the likes of Hozier and Paris Paloma.

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Auckland-raised, Bengali singer-songwriter Sabreen is an artist, author and songwriter who crafts cinematic, heart-wrenching stories. She released her debut EP ‘room service’ in 2023 (RNZ, SRN stations, 95bFM Fancy New Band Showcase, NZ Music Commission Celebrating Wāhine, NZOA Fresh Cuts), following extensive performances across Aotearoa including a full-house show at Auckland’s BIG FAN and opening for global sensation
Prateek Kuhad’s Silhouettes Tour. Sabreen is also a published poet, and was selected as a semi-finalist for the International Songwriting Competition for her song ‘Glow’. In 2025, Sabreen was selected as a YWCA Y25 laureate for creating positive change in Aotearoa, as well as a Blues Award from the University of Auckland. Proudly Bangladeshi and Muslim, Sabreen is a fierce advocate for her community, which often finds its way into her music.

‘The End (Arabic Version) feat. Rana Hamida’ is available now on all streaming platforms.

Mezies Release Debut Album + Vinyl & Aotearoa Tour

Part concept-album, part Aotearoa-coming-of-age, Holding My Cold Hand, Even Though Yours Is Warm plays out as an Interislander crossing between the two islands, peppered throughout with real overhead intercom announcements. Lead singer Chris Brown’s story-led songwriting pulls from deeply New Zealand experiences: Suzy Cato, romantic feelings towards All Blacks, tūī bird-song, trays of sausage rolls, Don McGlashan. Menzies deliver a debut that feels deeply personal, wildly universal, and impossible to ignore.

Beyond the studio, Brown’s former life as a working magician is woven into the band’s fabric and acclaimed live performances - 10 pairs of gloves thrown into the crowd and the recipients hunt for their glove-mate before the song ends, balloons that have to be kept afloat for the duration of the song or else the band stops playing, the crowd all shooting at a basketball hoop mid-set, appearing magic canes. The result is a live experience that is mesmerising, communal, and completely captivating.

New Zealand hasn’t had a band like this since The Front Lawn or The Mutton Birds.

Menzies have brought in New Zealand production powerhouses for the album - recorded & mixed by James Goldsmith (Mermaidens, DARTZ) at The Surgery, Wellington, and mastered by Tūī Award-winning Vivek Gabriel (Avantdale Bowling Club, Onono).

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Release and Tour Dates:

Album release: Friday 8th May, Holding My Cold Hand, Even Though Yours Is Warm

Palmerston North: Fri 3rd July [The Stomach] 

Whanganui: Sat 4th July [Porridge Watson]

Wellington: Fri 17th July [Meow]

Christchurch: Fri 24th July [Dark Room]

Dunedin: Sat 25th July [Pearl Diver]

Auckland: Fri 7th August [Whammy]

Raglan: Sat 8th August [Raglan Town Hall]

Supports to be announced.

JUST JANIE RELEASES ALBUM Mythology of the Girls

Ōtautahi-based Indie-folk musician Just Janie is entering a new era with her debut album Mythology of the Girls. A reaction to nostalgia through a modern lens, the album pays homage to the folk scene of the late sixties and early seventies and deconstructs the rose-tinted perspective for the era where women faced a myriad of societal limitations.

“The album formed around my curiosity for women's stories, often shadowed by men's. voices and perspectives lost in time. These women's stories are portrayed alongside personal anecdotes from my experiences as a young woman, an artist, a farmer's daughter, a musician, a mental health worker, within Aotearoa,” said Janie.

Nestled in the Waitaki Valley, the album was recorded in the transformed 1927 woolshed at Sublime Studios. Using vintage recording processes, Just Janie and her band tracked the album via an analogue pathway to tape. An ambitious and increasingly rare approach allowing them to sonically replicate an era inspiring the music. 

“As someone deeply nostalgic for the sixties and seventies from a musical standpoint (think Joni Mitchell and the Crosby Stills and Nash boys all jamming at house parties in Laurel Canyon), I wanted to capture the magic of those early studio recordings and tape felt like the way to do that. You can almost hear me grinning in those songs, looking through the window of my sound booth at my band.” said Janie

The first taste of what was to come included sister songs Mythology of the Girls and Cielo Drive. Hollywood, Hippies, 1960's counterculture, the beach boys. Starting the story with Mythology of the Girls, delving  into the Manson girls and why they should have stayed home, followed by the second chapter Cielo Drive, exploring Sharon Tate and how her name would inevitably become entwined with theirs.

The third and final single Mythology of the Girls dropped April 9th. An ode to oneself, Janie said “I read somewhere that the rain mimics the identity of the sky, and I thought that was a beautiful metaphor for a song.” Sometimes we become the rain, mimicking the sky. But I like to hope we find ourselves eventually. 

Mythology of the Girls is a captivating and tender menagerie, stepped in the golden warmth of the Laurel Canyon hey-day. Following the release of Mythology of the Girls (8 May), Just Janie is touring with a full band across Aotearoa this winter.

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Mythology of the Girls - MAY TOUR DATES

Fri 1 May - Listening party Flip Side Record Store | Christchurch

Sat 9 May - Space Academy | Christchurch (full band) 

Fri 15 May - Maggies | Dunedin (full band)

Sat 16 May - Rhyme and Reason | Wānaka (full band)

 Thurs 21 May - Meow | Wellington  (full band)

Fri 22 May - Raumati Social Club | Kapiti (duo)

Fri 29 May - Tussock Country Music | Southland (full band) 

AUCKLAND TBC

TICKETS FROM UNDER THE RADAR

NEW SINGLE ‘SWEETNESS’ FROM BADTAB

Te Whanganui-a-Tara’s BADTAB are carving out their own kaleidoscopic corner of the music world. Weaving together synthesisers and swirling guitar strums with rock-inflected, jazz inspired drum beats, BADTAB creates a unique and refreshing sound. The neo-psychedelic project of Ethan Downing (Vox & Gat), Hamish Mckinley (Drums), Manaaki Tibble (Bass), Kahukuranui Hunter-brown (keys) and Louis Nixon (synths), has been turning heads since their formation in 2022, quickly establishing themselves as one of Wellington’s exciting emerging acts. 

Sweetness marks the third and final single release on May 8th, before their sophomore album, anticipated for release mid-2026. Sweetness is a song about the quiet moments, the warmth of someone’s presence and the comfort they carry without even trying. It’s a softer, more intimate side of BADTAB, taking a step away from their signature psychedelic heaviness. The track began as a late-night loop session with guitar and bass, creating a wavy silky soundscape. The finishing touch came from CLOVA, whose violin strings pulled the whole track together into something warm and texturally diverse. 

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Drawing inspirations from the likes of Tame Impala, Unknown  Mortal Orchestra, Crumb, Connan Mockasin and King Krule. BADTAB have synthesized these influences into something uniquely their own, a sound that honors psychedelia's past while boldly pushing it forward. 

Beyond the studio, BADTAB have been making waves in the live circuit, playing TwoMinds Festival 2026, CubaDupa 2026, Twisted Frequency 2026, Newtown Festival 2025, Great Sounds Great festival 2025, a RadioActive Active Live session at Massey University and played multiple sold out shows at a variety of Wellington's independent venues. With their DIY spirit and commitment to pushing psychedelic music into new territories, BADTAB are quickly establishing themselves as ones to watch in Aotearoa’s ever-evolving music scene.