95bFM's own Samuel Harmony popped by the studio this morning to give us a run-down on the new stage at Laneway Festival 2020: Alfredo's Dance Tunnel. Featuring Kedr Livanskiy, CC:DISCO!, Tapes, FILTH AKL, and Friendly Potential DJs it's going to be a big one!
MusicHelps is a charity that supports people within the music community who are in need through hardship and counselling services, projects and more. This year they are running their first ever NZ Music T-Shirt Day on the 8th of November! We spoke to musician and MusicHelps ambassador Louis Baker about why the cause is important to him.
Diggy Dupe popped into studio this morning for a chat ahead of the VNZMAs in November, where he is nominated for Best Hip Hop Artist and the People's Choice Award. Wrap your ears around his wicked EP Island Time!
Hot off the back of their European tour, old faves Mermaidens are back in Auckland this weekend to play at Whammy Bar! Gussie spoke to us on the phone this morning about their mint new album 'Look Me In The Eye'. Whakarongo mai!
Swedish-Chilean DJ Dinamarca, and co-founder of the Staycore label, is in Aotearoa for the first time to play at Whammy backroom thanks to Community Garden! Rachel spoke to Dinamarca about music, how he got into DJ-ing and the community of artists he works with around the world. Tune in and head along to the gig tonight!
Rachel was lucky enough to chat to Sampa The Great ahead of her phenomenal sold-out gig at the Hollywood Avondale on saturday. Her latest album 'The Return' came out in september, and sees Sampa exploring homesickness, cultural diaspora and community as ways of grappling with her own spiritual identity. Listen back to hear about how these ideas informed her record, plus her thoughts on what it means to be a black woman working in Australia's burgeoning hip-hop industry. Ka rawe!
The VNZMA Artisan Awards short lists have been announced, and Josh Fountain is up for The Massey University Best Producer and Best Engineer. He's worked with the likes of BENEE, Foley, LEISURE, and MAALA, and he popped in to studio this morning to talk us through his work.
Skyping in live from Berlin this morning is Molly Nilsson- swedish songwriter and owner of independent record label Dark Skies Association. Rachel spoke to Molly about her most recent album '2020' which covers everything from Climate Change to gun control, while still managing to retain a hopeful core.
Molly Nilssen will be heading to New Zealand in december for the first time to play in Auckland and Wellington-awesome!
Tei. and Cindy from Garden of Celebration came in this morning to talk about their wicked gig/ exhibition/ zine workshop event happening this weekend on K'rd. With gender parity and a lack of diversity on major festival lineups being a perrenial problem, Garden of Celebration is an awesome grassroots dive into some of the great music and art that is being made in Tāmaki Makaurau right now.
Ciara and Rory came in today to talk about The Vault, their all-ages gig venue that is downsizing to a practice space. The pair chatted about the importance of all ages spaces, the struggles of running one, and some of their highlights from their time hosting mint parties and awesome gigs. Head along to Seal The Vault tomorrow to say goodbye to a wicked venue with a bunch of great bands!