Bio

Hawkins is no stranger to the stage. Having spent the best part of the last 15 years wowing audiences across Aotearoa with his unmistakable and incomparable voice, he is now embarking on a new and exciting journey with the release of his debut full-length album.

Hawkins, who is of Maori, Pasifika, European and African descent, went to school in Papatoetoe and spend his childhood between the south Auckland suburb and Taumarunui in the King Country.

Growing up in a musical family, Hawkins’ path in music was paved from an early age. “As a kid, music was my escapism. I fell in love with the concepts and stories conveyed through song,” he says.

He studied piano at the age of 10 before discovering his true passion for singing at the age of 15, when he gave his first public school performance, before beginning formal classical lessons. He went on to win the Auckland Secondary School Performing Arts Competition – now known as Stand Up Stand Out - for three years in a row as a classical vocalist/opera singer.

By his late teens, Hawkins was working backing vocalist and a session artist. He has since gone on to lend his voice as a backing vocalist to some of New Zealand’s most well-known artists, including Stan Walker, Vince Harder, Erakah and Sola Rosa. He’s also performed with some of the country’s best bands, including the Levites, Hipstamatics, The Pickups and Jukebox and Big Ticket.

Now with years of hard-earned experience under his belt, Victor has embraced his stage name Hawkins (“my mother’s surname and the name of many whanau that I love”) and is about to mark his most significant milestone in music yet. In early 2021, Hawkins will reveal his full-length debut album, from which he has already released a handful of singles and live versions of tracks from the album, with the songs already clocking up tens of thousands of streams.

A bold and brave move, Hawkins says it’s not a step he’s taken lightly. “I have witnessed a lot of the ‘ugly side’ of the industry as a backing and session vocalist and for a long time it discouraged me from ever wanting to put out my own music.”

But for Hawkins, the album is about cataloguing the voice he has become known for.

The record captures the heart and soul of one of New Zealand’s most powerful and unforgettable voices. With a sound and vibe that’s diverse and drenched in concept, Hawkins delivers an outstanding record.

Band Members:
Victor Hawkins-Sulfa

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