09 February 2024 - 0 Comments

ARIA Hall of Fame luminaries Crowded House have just returned with their joyful single Oh Hi – produced by the band with Steven Schram (Paul Kelly, San Cisco).

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Oh Hi is a friendly tune with colourful spirals of guitar and a chorus worthy of repeat sing-alongs, as frontman Neil Finn promises: "I won't forget". The tune has a deep connection to Neil's support for So They Can, an international non-profit focused on building schools in remote parts of Kenya and Tanzania. "I was inspired by children and thinking how much we need to let them learn and grow in safety and love," Neil says. "Then we could learn from them. There are so many out of view that can be magnificent if only given a microphone and a lightbulb."

Beyond selling over 15 million records worldwide and earning 13 ARIA Awards, an MTV VMA, and a BRIT Award, they have generated billions of streams, consistently sold out tours on multiple continents, notched four ARIA #1 albums and captivated audiences for nearly four decades.

Originally founded by Neil Finn, Nick Seymour, and the late Paul Hester, the group's self-titled debut in 1986 went platinum, uplifted by iconic smashes Something So Strong and Don't Dream It's Over. Speaking to the latter's impact, everyone from Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande to U2, among others, has covered it.

In 1996, the group delivered a legendary performance to an audience of over 150,000 on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, beginning a hiatus that finished in the wake of Paul's passing in 2005. This led to albums Time On Earth (2007) and Intriguer (2010) before an induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2016 and a return to the Sydney Opera House for three unforgettable nights.

2018 saw Neil join Fleetwood Mac as a full-time member, canvasing the globe on a massive world tour. Two years later, he and Nick led another era of Crowded House, joined by Mitchell Froom on keys and Neil's sons Liam and Elroy Finn. They issued their first full-length offering in eleven years, the unanimously acclaimed Dreamers Are Waiting (2021). The album took home the 'Best Adult Contemporary Album' ARIA Award, and the band leapt into a rapturous world tour in support.

From joining his brother Tim in the New Wave favourites Split Enz to leading Crowded House to his numerous solo efforts, Neil's varied body of work is connected by his knack for penning meticulous, indelible melodies and impressionistic lyrics that demand multiple listens. It's earned him devoted fans all over the globe, an Order of the British Empire honour, and induction into the Australian Recording Industry Association's Hall of Fame.

As always, Crowded House continue to forge ahead with another chapter of their legacy anchored by more touring and new music.

Oh Hi will be available worldwide on Friday, February 9 @ midnight NZT, via BMG - HERE

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