From supporting the one and only Shihad to releasing a new EP, Mim Jensen has had quite the year so far.
She continues her stellar form with new single “Sidekick”, a stomping slice of indie rock that finds the Christchurch singer-songwriter contending with imposter syndrome (we’ve all been there).
Driven by formidable, cathartic vocals that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in the ’90s, “Sidekick” finds Jensen transforming internal emotional conflict into a rousing rock number.
The accompanying music video brings the meaning behind the song to life: Jensen arrives at a house party dressed as an olive, before she soon realises no one else present is wearing a costume. She feels terribly out of place, until a stranger’s act of kindness leads her to fully embrace the party (watch below).
“Writing the song helped me shed light on a tough feeling,” Jensen says. “It was a really good reminder to not take myself too seriously but still honour my fragility in the moment. It was actually a really fun song to write, and one of my favourite songs to play live.”
Listeners are lucky, however, that “Sidekick” even made it out at all. It wasn’t originally meant to be recorded, but Jensen made the call to include it in a recent recording session at Auckland’s Roundhead Studios. “I’m really glad I did because it’s become one of the standout tracks,” she says.
After supporting Shihad on their farewell tour earlier this year, Jensen featured in our Up-And-Coming Aotearoa Artists series, telling us about her formative years and love of music.
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“When I was 14, I started getting into thrash metal because of a boyfriend I wanted to impress. That quickly ended and I’m grateful because it turned more into a love of Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, and The Doors,” she revealed.
“I used to hang with these older kids and we’d sit in a ditch behind a skate park and smoke cigarettes and they’d show me all these cool bands, so what was influencing me felt like it was constantly changing and evolving but I think that’s actually really important.”
“Sidekick” is her first release since her Shadow of the Gift EP, which racked up over 150K streams on Spotify alone.
Jensen now sets her sights on Electric Avenue 2026, where she shares a bill with another legendary Kiwi band, Split Enz. Jensen will play on the Saturday at the Christchurch festival.
Mim Jensen’s “Sidekick” is now.
