New Music 21/08
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Merlia — Magic Woman
Auckland folk artist Merlia, originally born in the Netherlands and raised in the coastal town of Ngunguru, blends her classical roots with moody modern pop, drawing on folk-inspired elements and lush vocal harmonies. Following her dreamy and intimate debut single Sicily, Merlia brings her background in acting, musical theatre and live performance into her latest release, Magic Woman, an upbeat track with a gypsy jazz influence inspired by her witchy, intuitive Mum. She continues to compose and perform alongside multi-instrumentalist and composer Austyn Mills, creating an immersive sound built around emotive storytelling and richly textured vocals.
KOTĀHI TE RĀ — Boogie Man's Disguise
Rotorua reggae band KOTĀHI TE RĀ formed after a last-minute call to represent Raukura (Rotorua Boys’ High School) at the Smokefree Tangata Beats Regional Final, with just one day to rehearse before going on to win the 2025 National Finals. Made up of Wepiha Webster, Te Ariki Rogers, Te Irimana Hatu Edmonds Huriwai, Te Rauna Webster-Tarei and Teuamairangi Webster-Tarei, the five-piece are committed to creating music that represents their kura, whānau and te ao Māori. Their debut single Boogie Man’s Disguise was inspired by the controversy surrounding Hobson’s Pledge using an image of a Māori kuia wearing her moko kauae without her consent, with the song calling for respect for Māori culture and encouraging rangatahi to stand proud of their identity and whakapapa, accompanied by a music video filmed at Te Pā Tū.
Jayme Morpeth — Good Grief (EP)
Pōneke artist Jayme Morpeth blends indie pop, folk and alternative pop influences, drawing inspiration from artists including Lana Del Rey, Mazzy Star, Clairo and Beabadoobee. Following singles Gone For Good, Fast Car and Just To Feel It, Morpeth now brings together a collection of songs written across a rollercoaster few years on her five-track EP Good Grief, exploring overthinking, relationships and emotional growth. The project takes its name from the idea that while grief and difficult emotions can be overwhelming, there is also something good in allowing yourself to feel and let those emotions out.
You can read my interview with Jayme here.
NOÉ — Ego Trip (EP)
Te Whanganui-a-Tara artist NOÉ is a producer, rapper and singer whose sound draws from West Coast hip-hop, G-funk, Y2K rap, ’80s pop, traditional Pacific music and hip-hop dance culture, reflecting his upbringing in a Fijian family that moved around the North Island. After teaching himself to make beats as a teenager, NOÉ has gone on to catch the attention of T-Pain, feature on albums by Australian beatmakers Cabu and Ta-ku, and connect with Samoan Indian singer-songwriter Aaradhna through APRA AMCOS’s Moana Songhubs, which led to her featuring on his Cruel Change EP. Blending soulful grooves, introspective songwriting and alternative rap and R&B influences, NOÉ continues to develop a sound that embraces both vulnerability and confidence.
IINKA — Tell Me What You Want
Auckland dark pop artist IINKA creates cinematic music built around haunting production, intimate atmospheres and deeply personal songwriting. Her new single Tell Me What You Want explores the experience of being a people pleaser while stuck in a toxic relationship, drawing on the emotionally honest approach that sits at the centre of her music.
The Advocators — Beyond The Palisade (ALBUM)
Northland alt-country band The Advocators blend swamp rock, Americana and dark storytelling, building on their critically acclaimed debut album Songs From An Endless Night with a sound that moves between banjo-driven swamp rock, carnival-inspired Americana and yearning acoustic ballads. The band have previously earned tens of thousands of streams and praise from publications including Rolling Stone Australia, 13th Floor, NZ Musician, Happy Mag and Under the Radar, while singles from their new album have already found success on student radio, with One Last Ride reaching number one on RDU and Little Creeks becoming a finalist in the 2026 MLT Country Music Songwriting Awards. Their sophomore album Beyond The Palisade expands their sound with contributions from musicians including Dave Kahn, Austyn Mills and Dan Stenhouse, and will be supported by a four-date tour across Northland and Auckland.
Thomas Hynd — Amethyst and Emerald (ALBUM)
Christchurch-based university student and music producer Thomas Hynd takes a psychedelic rock and indie approach to his music, drawing influence from bands including LCD Soundsystem and Joy Division while producing his songs from his bedroom. His new album Amethyst and Emerald explores his personal experiences with grief and loss, following the cyclical nature of healing after a traumatic relationship. One of the album’s tracks, Take It From Me, takes an indie disco and rock approach to explore the dissociative feeling of holding two opposing truths at once, particularly the difficulty of reconciling love for someone who is actively and consciously hurting you.
Mala — Deadlight
Wellington-based singer-songwriter Mala blends pop, indie and folk influences into emotionally driven songwriting, having written music since the age of eight and now studying music at university. She has released four original songs on Spotify, with her latest single Deadlight exploring the heartbreak and vulnerability of unrequited love. As an emerging artist in the New Zealand music scene, Mala is continuing to develop her sound and build her presence with her intimate approach to songwriting.
Stenn Francis-Deare — There's A Lot To Give
Alt-country and baroque pop songwriter Stenn Francis-Deare is now based in Melbourne, bringing together the two styles across his music. His new single There’s A Lot To Give is the title track from his forthcoming debut album and explores regret, acceptance and the feeling of encountering a past version of yourself, inspired by a return to his childhood home in rural Whatawhata, Waikato. Recorded at Roundhead Studios in Auckland and produced by Navakatoa Tekela-Pule, the single is accompanied by a music video filmed at the century-old cottage where Stenn grew up, now abandoned and repurposed as a hay barn.
Niccolo Piccolo — Tama te Tūī / The Bellbirds
Originally from Gore and now based in Ōtaki, Niccolo Piccolo, the project of award-winning Aotearoa country-folk artist Nicola Mitchell (Ngāti Maniapoto), creates joyful and accessible te reo Māori music for tamariki and their whānau, blending acoustic folk, country influences and rich harmonies. Following previous releases Row My Waka and Mauri Ora, she has now shared two new bilingual waiata, Tama te Tūī and The Bellbirds, which draw inspiration from Aotearoa bird song, with the former celebrating finding your own voice through whistling, harmonies and yodelling, while the latter offers a soothing lullaby about the importance of rest. The two tracks arrive ahead of Niccolo Piccolo’s forthcoming debut album, which will continue her celebration of te reo Māori, imagination and the natural world.
Sabreen — Land Mines
Tāmaki Makaurau singer-songwriter Sabreen is an emerging voice in contemporary music, drawing inspiration from artists including Hozier, Paris Paloma and The Beths while weaving emotionally rich storytelling through her work. Following releases including Therapy and The End (Arabic Version) featuring Rana Hamida, Sabreen’s new single Land Mines takes a deeply introspective look at the emotional turbulence of navigating relationships, loneliness and self-discovery in your twenties. The track offers a vulnerable preview of her forthcoming sophomore EP Forget Me When I’m Gone, which explores the growing pains, contradictions and emotional messiness of understanding yourself in real time.
Soul Brown, Austin Xavier — I Met A Girl
South Auckland artist Soul Brown blends Pacific influences with the harmony-rich R&B sounds of the 1990s, having previously found success with his 2023 EP ALL OF MY LOVE, which includes All Of My Love, Fire and Weekends. His new single I Met A Girl, featuring Austin Xavier, is a smooth and nostalgic song about love and hope that was originally written seven years ago, inspired by Soul’s younger self and the role songwriting played in helping him process his emotions while undergoing cancer treatment as a child. The track is the first release from an upcoming project built around music Soul wrote when he was younger, giving those previously unheard songs a second chance to be heard.
PARK RD, Molly Millington — Fatal
Auckland-formed band PARK RD, now based in Sydney, have spent the past few months touring Australia and developing their sound, sharing stages with acts including Pacific Avenue, Eliza and the Delusionals and San Cisco. Their new single Fatal features Sydney vocalist Molly Millington and came together in a single afternoon during a day off from touring, pairing the band’s guitar-led sound with Millington’s distinctive vocals to capture the anticipation of going somewhere in the hope of seeing someone again. The track is the latest preview of PARK RD’s forthcoming album BOYHOOD, an eleven-track project exploring romance, friendship and the highs and lows of growing up, with the band also set to tour Australia and New Zealand around the album’s release.
Vanessa Tottle — Invisible Rose
Tāmaki Makaurau electronic producer and artist Vanessa Tottle brings together cinematic, atmospheric production, trip-hop undertones and vulnerable alternative R&B on her new single Invisible Rose. The track was inspired by a solo trip to Wellington in 2024, where Tottle recorded the ambient sounds of a hotel bar, including a bartender shaking and pouring the cocktail that would give the song its name, before incorporating those field recordings into the production back in her Auckland studio. Built around the feeling of distance from her husband and the lyric “8 hours away from you”, Invisible Rose turns a moment of solitude into a moody electronic landscape.
Lucy Summerfield — When I leave
Motueka artist Lucy Summerfield brings a cinematic and deeply personal approach to her songwriting, drawing inspiration from the small towns and landscapes of Te Waipounamu. Following her previous single Kia kaua, Summerfield’s new track When I Leave reflects on homesickness and her connection to her hometown, exploring the feeling of longing not just for a place but for the time in your life when you lived there. Featuring a lush string quartet, layered vocal harmonies and poetic imagery, When I Leave is a tribute to the people, landscapes and sense of pride that comes with being from a small town in Aotearoa.
