The follow up to last year’s African Giant sees the breakout Afrobeats star attempt to surpass his own high bar. We run through a few of its highlights. After close to a decade of grinding to achieve a steadily bubbling success, Burna Boy entered the final year of the 2010s as an artist on the … Read more
Oliver Tree is a semi-pro scooter athlete, a brilliant character actor, and a musician with a breadth of experience rare for any millennial. And he’s finally released an album. That skater-emo voice, those dirty pop beats, the tearing lyrics and absurdist videos – and then, out of nowhere, ska. Oliver Tree’s inspiration must come from … Read more
American R&B artist Kehlani released her long-awaited sophomore album just before the weekend – here’s why you need to start paying attention. If you’re even the slightest bit invested in modern R&B, there’s a good chance you’ve already had Kehlani on rotate for a while. One of the genre’s most respected contemporary proponents, with a heaven-sent … Read more
Dua Lipa’s new album, Future Nostalgia, is an ode to good memories and a gateway to Zumba. Josie Adams listened to it and took a heady trip into her past. We’re only three months in, but I’m calling it now: Future Nostalgia will be one of the best pop records released this decade. It’s dropped … Read more
Like Benee, BBNO$ and about a thousand other acts that suddenly became superstars in the last 18 months, Ashnikko is blowing up off the back of a TikTok craze. But dig a little deeper and you’ll see that there’s much more to this blue-haired rapper than Miley Cyrus memes. Barely a second into the intro, … Read more
Two years after the release of Mac Miller’s Swimming, his family has released its companion piece, Circles. We explain what it is, how it came together, and why you need to listen to it. What is Circles? Miller’s sixth studio album, and his first album release since his death in 2018. It was recorded soon … Read more
You’ve probably never heard of him, but an artist called Cavetown is coming to Auckland in January for a show that’s already sold out. We explain where he came from, how this happened, and why you should be listening. What, pray tell, is a Cavetown? Cavetown is the stage name of Robin Skinner, a 20-year-old … Read more
It’s time we all accepted that James Blunt is good, argues Madeleine Chapman. “I woke up this morning and realised all I do is apologise for a song I wrote in 2005.” The song he wrote in 2005 was ‘You’re Beautiful’ and James Blunt is nothing if not self-aware. The above line is the opening … Read more
Charli XCX has just released her latest album, Charli. The futuristic musician is always looking ahead, and so are her fans. We’ve paired each star sign with their perfect Charli XCX song. Charli XCX burst onto the scene in 2012, when she co-wrote and performed electro-pop headbanger ‘I Love It’ with Swedish duo Icona Pop. … Read more
He’s the artist who launched a million memes and over a billion streams. Sam Brooks picks out Bazzi’s best moments so far, from his career-making breakthrough to his mature new mixtape Soulsearching. 1. ‘Mine’ “You’re so precious when you smile.” It’s the line – including an extra word that we can’t print here – which … Read more
Fifteen tracks, 22 guests, one album. The Spinoff Music listens to Ed Sheeran’s No. 6 Collaborations Project and considers why each track really shouldn’t work – and the sometimes surprising reasons why they do. 1. Beautiful People – Khalid Khalid and Ed Sheeran are two of the biggest stars in the world right now – … Read more
The Black Keys’ new album “Let’s Rock” is out now, and to celebrate the release, Taylor Macgregor drinks his way through some selections (aka easiest ones to find on Spotify) from the band’s acclaimed discography. In all honesty, it’s been a long time since I listened to The Black Keys. But when the YouTube algorithm … Read more
At over five hundred million streams, Ava Max is proving to be one of the biggest popstars of 2019. Not only that, writes Sam Brooks, she might actually be the most perfect. Ava Max is like a Frankenstein of a popstar, which I mean in the best way possible (also yes, I know Frankenstein was … Read more
MARINA’s new album drops in its entirety on April 26 – but where has she been, and where are the Diamonds? Sam Brooks chronicles the journey of popstar MARINA from Diamonds to caps lock. Real talk: MARINA is one of the best popstars we’ve got. She’s performed for a few years under the name ‘Marina … Read more
She’s written some of the biggest hits across the world the past few years, and now she’s stepping into the limelight. Here’s what you need to know about pop music’s next superstar. Jessie J co-wrote ‘Party in the USA’ before she found fame under her own name. Julia Michaels co-wrote ‘Hands to Myself’, ‘Bad Liar’ … Read more
She’s the tsunami taking the world over – and you better get on the wave before you get dragged under. Sam Brooks tells you why you love Lizzo. The love “I toss my hair back, check my nails, baby how you feeling? Feeling good as hell!” It’s the refrain that was heard the world over … Read more
Rudimental are one of the UK’s biggest bands with a list of collaborators as long as your arm. Sam Brooks takes a look at their best moments ahead of their new album, Toast to Our Differences. You’ve heard Rudimental, even if you don’t quite know it yet. This UK house band are a mainstay of many … Read more
Meek Mill, rapper and former Drake adversary, had one hell of a 2018, culminating in his long-awaited fourth album. Jogai Bhatt reviews Championships. Championships comes off the back of what has been one of the most defining years of Meek Mill’s life. In 2018, the Philadelphia rapper was released from jail after a highly-publicised probation … Read more
Cardi B plays Bay Dreams festival in Mount Maunganui and Nelson just after New Year’s. What should she do while she’s here? What should she eat? We offer her some suggestions for her itinerary. Cardi B is coming! Cardi B is coming! One of the best rappers, best talk show guests, best Instagrammers, will grace … Read more
The Wombats are one of the most long-lasting bands from the mid-2000s British guitar rock revival. With them on their way to New Zealand, we looked into their story, and what it takes to outlive The Kaiser Chiefs. There’s a line in one of The Wombats’ first hits, ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’, that goes … Read more
Today, British singer-songwriter Jess Glynne released her second album, Always In Between. If you don’t think you’ve heard of her, you probably have. Let us re-introduce you. One part ’90s house queen, one part Florence and/or the Machine and one part Natasha Bedingfield in her prime – Jess Glynne started off as a marketing manager … Read more