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Best New Zealand Music of the Week: October 6th-12

Stay up to date with all the New Zealand music releases from last week with Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s weekly roundup

RIIKI REID wearing a white and red bikini floating in a body of water

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Stay up to date with New Zealand music releases with Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s weekly roundup.

Check out the best new music from Aotearoa acts released between October 6th-12 below!

RIIKI REID – DRENCH

RIIKI REID’s highly anticipated project DRENCH is a five-track collection that captures the euphoria, vulnerability, and bittersweet comedowns of love and change. It threads together dreamy pop, alternative textures, and dance-driven energy.

Speaking on the project, she shares: “DRENCH is about completely immersing yourself in every emotion – the highs, the heartbreak, the nostalgia. I wanted it to feel like an endless summer, but one that’s honest about how seasons change. This music is a happy pill, but it’s also a reminder to embrace everything that comes with love and life.”

Theia (ft. Jolie Holland) – “My Sister’s Hands in Mine”

“My Sister’s Hand in Mine” is a haunting collaboration with US singer-songwriter Jolie Holland, blending the sound of two of the most unique artists on the alternative scene. Theia describes it as an ode to the power of sisterhood. It is the latest taste of her forthcoming album, GIRL, IN A SAVAGE WORLD, due for release next month.

Bridges – “Life of the Party”

Big and bold, yet vulnerable, Bridges’ “Life Of The Party” is a pop piano ballad, which takes the listener on a journey through delicate verses to soaring choruses and melodic hooks. It is the final single ahead of her second EP, due for release in early 2026.

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“I wrote the pre-chorus and chorus for this originally on acoustic guitar, alone in my bedroom. I then fleshed out the production ideas myself in Logic, which is what inspired the verses. It’s that demo I then took to Joel Jones, who built on those production ideas to create the final song,” she says of the track.

Sanoi – “Try It”

The third single from Sanoi’s upcoming album Augenblick, “Try It” is his most playful, yet dance floor-driven moment to date. The track blends deep, chugging Afro house rhythms with the grit of old-school soul, striking a beautiful balance of nostalgia and modernity.

His album is currently available exclusively on cassette, but is set for a wide release later this year.

Karra Rhodes – “Hometown Therapy”

The title track off Karra Rhodes’ debut album out next month, “Hometown Therapy” blends country storytelling with Scottish Celtic influences, reflecting her roots in Scotland and her life in New Zealand. It lays everything bare – struggles, healing, and identity battles – with grit, heart, and unapologetic honesty.

“It’s a song for anyone living away from their home, anyone missing their childhood, or anyone feeling nostalgic – this is a song for you. It’s about capturing those quiet, bittersweet moments that stay with you, and turning them into something soothing and comforting,” she says.