Rnz: Music 101

Pop singer-songwriter Kira Puru is taking off in Australia. Kira – who's of Māori heritage – has recently released her first, self-titled EP on which she celebrates dancefloors and diversity.

Romance and disappointment go hand in hand in the bittersweet pop of Princess Chelsea, as Nick Bollinger discovers.

In this week's Pocket Edition, we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of 2B Spacific the debut album of Che Fu, Tony Stamp speaks with Thai New Zealander Phum Viphurit and we hear the latest tune from Tiny Ruins.

The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, we're heading to warmer times with the RNZ Music crew and their musical selections for springtime

Thomston has been suspiciously quiet for the last two years and now we discover why. He's been writing a lot of songs. He stops by the RNZ studio's to share just one of what might be up to eighty new creations.

HIGH HØØPS is the solo project of Leisure's Jordan Arts. He's just released his debut album Seasons on Planet Earth. Jordan put a band together and dropped into RNZ to perform two stand-out track from the album - 'Madly' and 'Blue Eyes'.

This Thai musician spent his formative years in New Zealand, and has now found global success via Youtube.

RNZ's Trevor Reekie shares some of his highlights from the Womad 2019 line up announced this week.

Lily Allen has dealt with fame since she was 21. In an interview promoting her upcoming New Zealand show she addresses both the up and downsides to fame, the rawness of her new album, toxic internet culture and her new, happier place.

Twenty years on from the release of his debut album 2b S.Pacific, we speak to Che Fu about how getting kicked out of Supergroove lit a fire that helped him create his landmark album and become the artist he is today.

In this week's Pocket Edition, Reb Fountain shares a new song in her live session, Kirsten Johnstone speaks with Connan Mockasin about the many new things in his life and The Members' JC Carroll shares tales of touring life with Trevor Reekie.

Six60 are the first New Zealand band in history to sell out Western Springs, filling the whopping 50,000-capacity venue four months before their February 2019 show. Lead singer Matiu Walters joins us to tell stories and select tracks for the RNZ Music Mixtape.

Philadelphia fret-flayer Kurt Vile has a new album out and is heading to New Zealand in April. He tells RNZ Music’s Francis Cook about his love of the South Island and his awe for Cass McCombs. 

English Music Journalist Neil Spencer once wrote that The Members were always the thinking punks band of choice: angry but intelligent, a suss reggae sensibility, and songs that resonated in the suburbs as well as the city. J C Carroll, the singer, songwiter and guitarist for The Members talks to Trevor Reekie about his time in one of the UK's most versatile punk bands.

Introducing Christchurch singer Ashy.

The premise of Connan Mockasin's new album and video series is disturbing. It's about a music teacher falling for his student, who he's mistaken for a girl. The cult-favourite musician speaks to RNZ Music about Jassbusters, and where on earth it came from.

After more the four decades of Kiwi rock'n'roll, Hello Sailor guitarist Harry Lyon makes a solo album. Nick Bollinger listens.

Nick Bollinger appreciates the verbal virtuosity of Chicago rapper Noname.

Divide and Dissolve are a Melbourne duo whose politically-charged music focuses on issues like de-colonisation and fighting white supremacy. With instrumental doom metal as their foundation, they've built a steady following of like-minded people all around the world - including our very own Ruban Nielson, who invited them to play support for Unknown Mortal Orchestra at their recent shows in Aotearoa. RNZ's Jana Whitta had a korero on the couch with the pair after soundcheck.

Wellington composer Rhian Sheehan talks about his evocative, cinematic new work A Quiet Divide, which he's currently performing as a multimedia spectacular around the land. He speaks to Kirsten Johnstone.