From TikTok to Tami: This is the 2020 APRA Silver Scrolls longlist

The 2020 longlist for the APRA Silver Scroll Awards – New Zealand’s premiere songwriting awards – have just been announced. Here’s the full list of the 20 finalists, with the songs themselves to listen to. This morning saw the announcement of the longlist for the APRA Silver Scroll, New Zealand’s most prestigious music award recognising … Read more

WATCH: Under Cover: Chelsea Jade and Liz Stokes

Under Cover is a new series that brings New Zealand musicians together via video link to bond, chat, and play each other’s songs. The third episode features Chelsea Jade and Liz Stokes. Liz Stokes (The Beths) and Chelsea Metcalf (Chelsea Jade) go way back. They were in the same guitar group in high school, just … Read more

Chelsea Jade explains her bizarre new music video

LA-based New Zealander Chelsea Jade’s latest single, ‘Superfan,’ is out now. She explains everything behind the stilts and the strangeness of her new video. Chelsea Jade calls herself DIY pop, and she really does do it all herself. After a couple of years touring North America with Muna and YourSmith, the songwriter, singer, director, and … Read more

Summer reissue: Chelsea Jade on her album Personal Best, a musical highlight of 2018

Before the release of one of 2018’s best albums, Personal Best, Sam Brooks asked Chelsea Jade everything about her (and other people’s) music. This post was originally published 20 June 2018. It’s the rare unambiguously sunny morning in Auckland when Personal Best drops. I’m sitting outside a big building, waiting for an interview, long flowy coat on, … Read more

Best Music 2018: The third annual Spinoff Music Survey!

We asked you, our loyal readers, what your favourite albums and songs of the year were, both from here and from elsewhere. Oh, and your favourite shows, your reflections on the year, and predictions for next year. This is what you told us. Best local album The Beths Future Me Hates Me (24%) Avantdale Bowling … Read more

UMO on Chelsea Jade on The Beths on Marlon Williams on Troy Kingi: Silver Scrolls finalists talk about each other

Last week, APRA announced the five finalists for the 2017 Silver Scroll Award. Today, exclusively for The Spinoff, the five artists discuss each other’s nominated songs. Ruban Nielson of Unknown Mortal Orchestra on ‘Laugh It Off’ by Chelsea Jade My friend put me on to this song when it first came out and I love … Read more

Jon Toogood’s The Adults: ‘I’m bored of hearing me. I didn’t make the record to hear me’

Henry Oliver talks to Jon Toogood, best known as the frontman of evergreen rockers Shihad, about the new record of his collaborative project The Adults. Last time I talked with Jon Toogood – Shihad frontman, wild rock’n’roll singer, wirey mass of relentless energy – he had recently got married and was preparing for the album tour … Read more

Chelsea Jade: ‘I want young women to like feel like they have someone on their side’

To celebrate the release of Chelsea Jade’s long-awaited debut album, Sam Brooks asks her everything about her (and other people’s) music. It’s the rare unambiguously sunny morning in Auckland when Personal Best drops. I’m sitting outside a big building, waiting for an interview, long flowy coat on, big sunglasses on, and I’m listening to the album from … Read more

2018’s best music videos so far don’t just look good, they have something to say

Reilly Hodson looks at the best music videos of the year so far and how they’re commenting on these messed up times. In a world where music consumption seems to occur mostly with headphones plugged into a phone in one’s pocket, it’s easy to overlook the art of the music video. What was once one … Read more

Boyboy interviewed by his mum(mum)

Last week, New Zealand-born, LA-based songwriter Boyboy (aka Sam McCarthy, ex Goodnight Nurse, Kids Of 88) released his debut, self-titled album. For The Spinoff, his mum, Lyn McCarthy, asked him about his writing process, meditation, and what’s going on in that cover photo. What’s your album called? All I can see is some funny logo up in … Read more

Chelsea Jade, art school popstar: ‘I just want us to feel like we’re in it together’

Millie Lovelock talks to Chelsea Jade ahead of her return to New Zealand for Wondergarden festival. In 2015, I was lucky enough to catch one of Chelsea Jade’s last New Zealand shows before she upped roots and moved to Los Angeles. It was a freezing midwinter Dunedin night, and Chelsea played to a captivated audience … Read more

Best Songs Ever: N.E.R.D. are back – and they brought Rihanna with them

Our regular round-up of new songs and singles, featuring Sufjan Stevens, N.E.R.D, Kelly Clarkson, The Beths and more… SONG OF THE WEEK The Beths – ‘Great No One’ A thing about making things As you would expect from Auckland pop-rockers the Beths, their new (well, new-ish) track ‘Great No One’ is chock-full of wonderful, introspective … Read more

Pod on the Couch: Talkin’ Silver Scrolls finalists

The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Henry Oliver talks to Leonie Hayden and Kate Robertson about the Silver Scrolls finalists. Spinoff Music editor Henry Oliver talks to Spinoff staffer Leonie Hayden and contributor Kate Robertson about the 2017 Silver Scrolls finalist … Read more

Lorde on Aldous Harding on Nadia Reid on Bic Runga on Chelsea Jade: Silver Scrolls finalists talk about each other

Yesterday, APRA announced the five finalists for the 2017 Silver Scroll Award. Today, exclusively for the Spinoff, the five artists discuss each other’s work. Lorde on ‘Horizon’ by Aldous Harding The first time I heard ‘Horizon’ – late at night, alone at Electric Lady – I specifically remember this feeling of my head snapping back and … Read more

Announcing the historic finalists of the 2017 Silver Scroll Awards

And the history making five finalists for the 2017 Silver Scroll Award are… ‘Close Your Eyes’ by Bic Runga (written by Bic Runga and Kody Nielson) ‘Green Light’ by Lorde (written by Ella Yelich O’Connor, Jack Antonoff, and Joel Little) ‘Horizon’ by Aldous Harding ‘Life of the Party’ by Chelsea Jade (written by Chelsea Jade … Read more

Five of the best artist playlists on Spotify

Every artist is making Spotify playlists these days. Amanda Robinson listens to four of the most popular – and one that isn’t, but really deserves to be. Lorde In the ‘Homemade Dynamite’ episode of The Spinoff’s Behind The Melodrama podcast, Lorde talks about how “sometimes it’s just about having your arms around your friend’s shoulders … Read more

Best Songs Ever: Steve Braunias reviews the Harry Styles single – and more!

Our regular round-up of new songs and singles, this week featuring Chelsea Jade, Harry Styles, Kamasi Washington, and Mermaidens. SONG OF THE WEEK Chelsea Jade – ‘Life of the Party’ New Zealand’s pop minimalist isn’t better, she’s best In 2015’s ‘Low Brow’, Chelsea Jade was anchorless and anxious, appealing for a lover to deliver the impossible: … Read more

Pod on the Couch: New releases and cyclone warnings

The Spinoff and Spark proudly present Pod On The Couch, a weekly podcast exploring music and the people that make it. This episode: Henry Oliver plays some new releases to a bunch of people hanging around The Spinoff offices to see what they think. Instead of just sitting around the Spinoff offices waiting for the Cyclone Cook … Read more