Each week, Rolling Stone AU/NZ highlights our favourite New Zealand music from the past seven days.
Check out last week’s picks featuring Crowded House, Louis Baker, Goodspace, and Luca George, and explore fresh highlights from Julian Lubin, Will McClean, Gracie Miller, ratbag, Lizzy Kula, and Anna Coddington below.
Julian Lubin – “Patience & Love”
Julian Lubin, a spoken word poet, rapper, and vocalist, moved to Tāmaki Makaurau from Australia in 2019, after making his mark in Southeast Melbourne’s Noble Nativez and Gremlns collectives.
His latest track, “Patience & Love,” is a must-listen – smooth, freeform hip-hop soul featuring Samara Alofa on vocals and a lush sax solo from Francesca Parussini. Written and produced on the spot with Mānuka Recordings co-founder Kenny Sterling (the label behind Pōneke talent Romi Wrights), the track seamlessly blends modern soul with rap. “I was thinking about how El Michels Affair worked with Black Thought,” Sterling said, and it shows.
Will McClean – “Find My Way”
Will McClean is on the move with “Find My Way,” the lead track from his upcoming EP. Featuring jazzy saxophone and smooth flows, it’s a bold step forward for the hip-hop artist. After sharing the stage with Home Brew in September, there’s plenty more to come.
Gracie Moller – “Coco-Cola Girl”
Every rising pop artist needs a ballad, and Gracie Molley’s “Coco-Cola Girl” does just that, tugging at heartstrings and revealing her anxieties as she admits, “I’ve got enough problems for two, if you were running out.”
ratbag – “pinky girl”
How do you follow up a song about lousy boyfriends? For ratbag, it’s “pinky girl,” a track that gives a voice to the original character’s disgruntled girlfriend (check out “pinky boy” here). With its woozy mid-tempo flow, it shows a new side of this rising Aotearoa star.
Lizzy Kula – “afterthought”
Lizzy Kula’s new music video turns her weekly grocery shopping into a cinematic experience. In the shadowy aisles of her local store, the Mt Maunganui-based alt-pop artist brings the empowering lyrics of her latest single “afterthought” to life, proving she’s ready to leave heartbreak off her list for good.
Anna Coddington – “GAINZ”
Capturing the funky vibe of her new bilingual album, Anna Coddington has released a banger of a music video for “GAINZ,” complete with eye-popping retro visuals. The track, which is all about not settling, features guest vocals on the choruses from her good friends Julia Deans, Anika Moa, and Hollie Smith.
