Dance-oriented pop or romantic electronic music.

How do you come up with your lyrics and what inspires you the most when writing your lyrics? As you mentioned lyrics from your album came from Remuera-mum materialism to man-splaining to pining unrequitedness.

Just stuff that I think about, things people say that resonate with me, ideas I want to articulate.

Remuera-mum materialism is in Face Melt which used to be called Trinkets - I was thinking about the $70k Audi whose owner wants the lower classes to pull themselves up by their bootstraps but won’t wind their window down to give a window washer at the lights a $2 coin.

Congratulations on the release of your new album Desperate Late Night Energy. Where did the idea for the album cover come from? It seems like a cropped image of a random photo.

Thanks! It’s actually a photo of my wife Emily dancing that we took at Taupo Bay in Northland. I wanted something dark but vital. I like that you see it as a random photo, I’m taking that to mean candid. It was the goal to feel natural rather than staged. 

Why did you collaborate for most of this album rather than the mix of solo and features?

The collaboration was less of a writing thing than a voicing thing. I wrote the songs mostly by myself except for a few bits here and there - 100% was a true collaboration because Charlie from Yumi Zouma wrote lots including the chorus, Tom from Leisure wrote the chorus of Desperate Late Night Energy with my words, and Benny’s Videos wrote the chorus of Song For Alex.

Otherwise it’s just me getting good singers to sing what I have written. So regarding that - I just don’t feel like singing at the moment. It comes closer to realising my vision when the songs are sung by someone with a really strong voice.

How does it feel to finally have some new music out?

Like my food has arrived at the restaurant after waiting far too long and I was starting to feel kind of sick but it’s here now and it’s really good.

The idea for your 100% video came from shutterstock dance clips of people dancing in front of green screens. You’ve mentioned how you got to the final video but what made you decide this is what I want to do for the video and this works for this single?

The idea came from listening to the song and watching the projector at my apartment. Hayden (the director) and I were putting on green screen clips to laugh at, it wasn’t even dancing initially, just people doing weird actions. It worked with the music and it made us laugh. We were listening to 100% on repeat - it worked with that song specifically, something to do with the initial melody.

You recently completed a tour in support of your new album. The Auckland show was great! How did the tour go for you?

Thank you very much. The tour was really fun. I love playing the new material and it’s really great to perform with Carla, she is incredible. And Tom is too, even though he wasn’t able to play all the shows I love performing with him.

There were red clear streamers on the sides of the stage and the lighting seemed to be kept pretty dark for most of it. Was that done purposefully or just how it worked for the venue?

My friend Suren Unka did the lighting and stage design. He is so talented in so many ways and he has started to focus on lighting - you can follow his account on Instagram.

What gave you the ideas for dancers to open and to have a DJ rather than other musicians?

I really am becoming more interested in theatre and dance and the possibilities there are to transport you to a different world. I wanted the show to have broader appeal outside of just music and to feel like an event rather than just another gig. The dancer who led the performance is called Tui Hofmann, she really nailed it with that performance and incidentally has a show coming up at the Basement Theatre called Meat - details here.

Would you like to tour anywhere else?

I would really love to if it was viable. Hopefully, I will.

What music do you personally enjoy listening too?

Here is a playlist I made for Ruby with some songs I like.

What is the one thing you want NZ to know about yourself?

I have been eating peanut butter toast on Vogel’s with no lubricant or bottom layer because I am trying to eat less dairy and it’s so dry, I don’t know what to do. I don’t like margarine and olive oil doesn’t really suit.

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  Fur Patrol
• 5
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  L.A.B.
• 7
  Devilskin
• 8
  Coridian
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• 10
  Late to Chelsea

• 
  LOST BiRD @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Just Janie @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Dream Chambers @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024
• 
  The Phoenix Foundation @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
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• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
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• 4
  TASTE
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• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
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• 7
  SAILOR SONG
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• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
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• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
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• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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