07 October 2021 - 0 Comments

Live Nation & Vodafone have announced the latest artist in their Ones to Watch programme as self-made producer and singer-songwriter Rhys Rich. The now Wellington-based musician has adopted the capital city as his own, and has caught the eye of the industry, placing him as the ninth Ones To Watch artist of 2021.

Connor Henare Dion, also known as Rhys Rich, grew up in Australia before moving to Pōneke to cement his place in the capital’s music scene. Mixing classic hip-hop and R&B with modern pop, indie and electronic music, he takes inspiration from Odd Future and Tyler, the Creator. He recently took the stage in Wellington, at Live Nation & Vodafone’s Ones to Watch showcase, alongside two other musicians slated for the programme.

Rhys has made waves locally, using his personal experience to aid his lyrics: “love songs are the easiest thing to work with, and especially having a partner I love makes it a lot easier.” The authentic connections made through his music has helped grow his fan base, with his 2020 song No Confetti reaching 300,000 streams on Spotify.

As with many artists around the world, Covid-19 stopped them in their tracks when it came to touring and releasing new music. While he’s keeping the details on the downlow, Rhys has promised big things are coming. “I feel horrible since I haven’t been putting out anything this year. But that’s all going to change before the end of the year. Going to be a lot of music out and have a lot of shows and festivals lined up as well – so I’m excited for that. It’s only up from here!”

Click here to find out more about Rhys Rich

On Rhys’ appointment as the next monthly artist, Live Nation promotor Renée Hermsen says: “I love Rhys’ nonchalant style of rapping and he has an outstanding stage presence - the crowd absolutely adored him. I’m sure we’re going to see a lot of him over summer!”

A year on from launching the programme in Aotearoa, the Ones To Watch programme has an incredible slate of musicians under its belt. Rhys Rich joins There’s a Tuesday, Muroki, Paige, Park Rd, Balu Brigada and more as alumni of the programme. A variety of genres have been featured, from pop to indie, rock to hip hop, showcasing what Aotearoa has the best to offer when it comes to local music. Launched in 2017 in the United States, Ones To Watch has helped boost the careers of artists now reaching worldwide stages, including Halsey and Grammy-award winning Dua Lipa, who just announced a global tour, including a New Zealand pit-stop, after a massive two years promoting her number one album, Future Nostalgia.

Joe Goddard, Experience & Commercial Director at Vodafone NZ had this to say. “Some of the Vodafone team had the pleasure of seeing Rhys Rich perform pre-lockdown and gave rave reviews. We’re so happy we get to be involved in his future success and support Live Nation as they celebrate phenomenal Kiwi up and comers.”

After launching an exclusive long-term partnership in 2019, Live Nation Australasia and Vodafone New Zealand have provided Vodafone customers access to Live Nation’s entertainment portfolio including music, family and comedy tours and festivals across the country. The strategic multi-year partnership is committed to bringing the best live experiences to New Zealand and the best New Zealand artists to the world. The unique emerging talent platform of Ones To Watch builds on this strong partnership and a mutual dedication to support grassroots initiatives.

As well as access to the online platform, Vodafone customers will be given the chance to win tickets to the Ones To Watch invitation-only quarterly showcase events. More info and competition details available at: vodafonerewards.co.nz

RHYS RICH FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / YOUTUBE
ONES TO WATCH FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER

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