For a band on the rise, Drax Project have already ticked off some major milestones.
Since their inception in 2014, the Wellington-formed pop-rock band have released two studio albums, one live LP recorded in London, a concert film, and supported some of pop’s biggest names like Ed Sheeran, Christina Aguilera, and Camila Cabello. They’ve also embarked on a headline tour of Europe and will do it all again this May, including two dates at The Great Escape in Brighton.
So impressive was their second album, Upside, it made Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s Best New Zealand Albums of 2023 list. “We spent a lot of time on it, crafting every sound, lyric and detail to get it where we wanted,” they told us at the time. “We’re proud of it.”
With over 750,000 monthly Spotify listeners, Drax Project are quickly becoming one of New Zealand’s biggest global exports. —Neil Griffiths
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How was 2024 for you? What were your biggest achievements and favourite moments?
Drax Project: We went back to basics in 2024. Played more shows, focused on what makes us unique and released a live album which is the culmination of all of that. Touring the UK/Europe for the first time as headliners has to be a standout. We couldn’t believe how pumping a Tuesday night show in Berlin could get! Another standout was playing a show in Hobbiton for the new Lord Of The Rings premiere which we recorded some music and dialogue for.
Music is an increasingly crowded and competitive field. What’s one thing that makes you stand out from other artists?
Probably our live show. We love making and releasing music but we started as buskers ten years ago while we studied jazz, so actually playing and performing is a huge part of our DNA. There’s no point attempting to describe it, you’ll just have to come to a show.
What’s coming up for you in 2025 and beyond? Any big shows, notable releases?
A bigger UK/Europe Tour in May/June and definitely new music! We’ve got a bunch of new stuff we’re working on, it’s all good stuff!
