Kate Robertson talks to R&B singer Janine (now without ‘the Mixtape’) about leaving New Zealand and becoming bigger, better and stronger. Even the most novice American Idol viewer learns during the audition rounds that controlling a big voice isn’t easy. When you can belt it out like Mariah why would you bother with the smaller notes? The patron … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Snail Mail, the 19-year-old at the forefront of indie rock’s female-led renaissance. There’s something special about Lindsey Jordan. ‘Special’ could be embellished to the point of it sounding unbelievable – or played down in a ‘low-key’ or ‘understated’ way – but both would be a lie. With lyrics that sting more … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Auckland hip-hop/electronic/jazz band Yoko-Zuna ahead of Seamless, an all-ages show in Auckland this weekend. For Yoko-Zuna, 2018 looks set to be a tipping point. Consistently gaining momentum since their 2015 debut album This Place Here, the Auckland-based four-piece are finding themselves ready to break through the alternative sphere and well into the mainstream. … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Alison Wonderland, the Australian EDM producer who’s playing Coachella this weekend. If you’re of the assumption that electronic music is little more than a beat to rave to, you must not have come across Alison Wonderland. The LA-based Australian producer has earned a reputation for giving soul and an emotional identity … Read more
Four years on from his debut album, Vance Joy talks to Kate Robertson about his new release Nation of Two, as well as songwriting, staying grounded, and what it’s like to be on tour with Taylor Swift. We first heard the now unmissable strum on Vance Joy’s ‘Riptide’ in 2013. In 2017, four years later, APRA … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to multi-Grammy Award-winning Americana singer-songwriter Jason Isbell about politics and gender in country music. “If Taylor Swift’s ideas on politics are stupid I don’t wanna hear them,” Americana artist Jason Isbell says when I ask if music and politics can be separate from each other in 2018. It’s not the answer I … Read more
Kate Robertson has, on occasion, soundtracked her life entirely with Shania Twain. Here’s how you can too. GIVEAWAY ALERT: Looks like we made it… closer to Shania’s New Zealand tour! And Spark is giving away 20 double-passes to her Auckland and Dunedin shows. Entries close 27 July 2018. Stop everything you’re doing – the OG … Read more
Welcome to Take Me Out, a semi-regular series wherein Kate Robertson, music critic and dating blogger, finally combines her expertise by going on a date with a musician and then sharing it with you. In this instalment, Kate goes trampolining with BAYNK, an unsigned New Zealand electronic artist who gets a million plays a month … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to musical polymath Troy Kingi about his second album’s journey through space. Troy Kingi is two albums deep into a very ambitious mission. The musician and actor plans to release ten albums across ten genres in ten years. He kicked things off in 2016 with the 23-track Guitar Party at Uncles Bach, … Read more
Kate Robertson’s seven reasons why you should stop underestimating Halsey. Halsey hasn’t had the easiest run of things since first appearing on our radars in 2015. Sceptics have called her a manufactured popstar, Pitchfork slaughtered her debut album BADLANDS, and people of a certain age like to write about how they don’t get the hype. … Read more
Kate Robertson reviews Shawn Mendes, the ever-so-pure former Vine star who performed at Spark Arena on Saturday. Saturday night saw 19-year-old Shawn Mendes, a star so clean-cut Disney could only dream of stamping their brand on him, grace us with his pristine presence for the first time. It’s a gig I’ve not stopped yapping on … Read more
MTV Beats and Eats is an Australian festival which indulges in all the guilty pleasures we never admit and Kate Robertson is here for it. Mates, I need to disclose something to you before I go all play-by-play on the pop music one-dayer that was MTV Beats and Eats: I’m a festival fiend. Like, literally a … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Americana singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle, who plays in Auckland this week, about music and survival. Justin Townes Earle is a complex character to unpack. Son of Steve Earle (who was singing about a Galway Girl long before Ed Sheeran), Townes Earle’s somewhat turbulent childhood has long served as a launch pad … Read more
Kate Robertson chats on the phone with Macklemore for exactly nine minutes and thirty seconds, just enough time to ask him about his new album GEMINI, why he ditched the other dude, and making music in Trump’s America. It’s hard not to bop along to Macklemore. Some rap purists will say they thought he was … Read more
Welcome to Take Me Out, a semi-regular series wherein Kate Robertson, music critic and dating blogger, finally combines her expertise by going on a date with a musician and then sharing it with you. First up, Kate takes Kane Strang for coffee ahead of his appearance at The Others Way festival. Dating is one of … Read more
Chainsmokers superfan Kate Robertson has campaigned for the bros to come to New Zealand for years. In celebration of today’s news of an Auckland show, she shares her top 10 bangers. Everyone has an opinion on the Chainsmokers. At the height of their Top 40 reign we couldn’t get our hot takes out fast enough, … Read more
With their debut album just out, Kate Robertson caught up with LANY frontman Paul Klein to find out a little more about the band no one wants to be last to find out about. A band born out of the internet, LANY are a making hazy, R&B-influenced radio pop that, simply put, is just a … Read more
Kate Robertson has been pursuing an interview with Little Mix ever since they announced their Auckland show late last year. Three weeks ago, she kind of almost got there. A few weeks ago I was offered the holy grail, a phone interview with not one, but TWO members of Little Mix (I know, it’s as … Read more
Anne-Marie made her name singing on other people’s hits, but now she’s making them on her own. Kate Robertson caught up with her while she was in Auckland this week to promote her forthcoming debut album. If you don’t yet recognise Anne-Marie’s face, chances are you’ll recognise her voice. Lead vocalist on Clean Bandit’s super … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Rebecca Nelson, New Zealand’s newest classical crossover star. Classical crossover singer Rebecca Nelson is kind of a big deal right now. Her debut album, Poppies & Pohutukawa, has been sitting around the top of the album charts since its release in early April, and is currently ahead of The Chainsmokers, David … Read more
$UICIDEBOY$ are a New Orleans rap duo whose songs have millions of plays on Soundcloud and who sold out their first Auckland show in mere hours. Kate Robertson was there. $UICIDEBOY$, a white rap duo from the US, sold out Auckland venue The Studio in 24 hours. An act that doesn’t get mainstream radio play, … Read more
Kate Robertson on why Ariana Grande is more relevant than Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Fifth Harmony combined. Ariana Grande is incredible. Criminally underrated and often overlooked, her potential to be recognised as pop music’s It Girl has consistently been overshadowed by the more iconic players in the game. She’s always there, lurking around the top … Read more
Kate Robertson talks to Nakita about making music with some of New Zealand’s best pop songwriters. The name Nakita might not ring any bells just yet, but chances are you’ve heard at least one of her upbeat and youthful electronic pop songs blasting from the sound system of a hip clothing store or on the … Read more
At three locations around Auckland, Lorde revealed lyrics and another clip from her single, ‘Green Light’. Kate Robertson hit the streets to investigate. 7:00pm: Lorde has just announced on Twitter what I can only describe as a central Auckland Amazing Race. It kicks off at 9:30pm, there are three checkpoints (Herne Bay, Ponsonby and CBD), and … Read more
Kate Robertson’s seven reasons why Little Mix are the best Top 40 act right now. I could spend a solid eight hours collating a list of reasons why Little Mix are brilliant. I could rate the choreography from each of their music videos, compile track-by-track analyses of their albums, and discuss at length how they’ve managed … Read more
Rugby seemed way too boring for Kate Robertson. She found, in the NFL, a sport with appropriate level of pop cultural chaos. Here she explains how to enjoy Monday’s Superbowl like a real fan. The NFL, or “rugby for wussies”, as it’s more commonly known here in New Zealand, is reaching a fever pitch. Super … Read more