Geneva AM is taking her debut album Pikipiki for a spin at The Others Way, Auckland’s favourite street party, which is returning to take over the Karangahape Road precinct this Saturday (November 29th).
Intending to uplift listeners’ wairua and encourage them to overcome life’s obstacles, Pikipiki utilises classical, dance, drum and bass, and emo rock to accompany new bilingual songs and reimagined covers of Aotearoa favourites.
Geneva AM pays homage to waiata she grew up with throughout the album, providing a modern treatment of “Purea Nei” by Hirini Melbourne, “Pokarekare Ana” by the returning soldiers of WWI, and “Tutira Mai Ngā Iwi” by Wiremu Te Tau Huata.
Also among the lineup for The Others Way 2025 are Aotearoa’s incredible experimental musician Connan Mockasin, who will make his long-awaited return to Auckland in band format for the first time in six years, US indie folk band Florist (appearing as a duo), rock ‘n’ roll stalwart Toody Cole & Her Band, Melbourne folk and trip-hop artist Georgia Knight, Aotearoa Music Award winner Jim Nothing, and more.
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The initial lineup dropped in May, with Sharon Van Etten & the Attachment Theory leading the way. One of the best rock musicians of her generation, Van Etten was last on these shores for a show at Auckland’s Civic Theatre. The Phoenix Foundation, High Dependency Unit, Isla Noon, and more were also confirmed in May.
For the first time, the festival is completely shutting down Karangahape Road. “Expect the whole dang block between Queen Street and Pitt Street to transform into the party of your dreams, with our main stage landing right near the Rainbow crossing,” a press release stated.
We caught up with Geneva AM for a special Others Way edition of our Up-And-Coming Aotearoa Artists series to find out more about her early inspirations, blossoming career, and what’s to come in the future.
Geneva AM’s Pikipiki is out now.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How much did music influence you in your early life?
As a small child I was always singing, it was part of the way I would play — I’d set up my toys like an audience and do shows for them. I really loved jingles and sitcom opening songs. Growing up in Grey Lynn we had a lot of super talented people in the neighbourhood, our local supermarket always had New Zealand artists there (RIP Foodtown Grey Lynn). I started caring about alternative music when I was a teenager, looking into punk, new wave, etc. Going to gigs helped me meet a lot of long time friends.
What artists influenced you growing up?
I was always drawn to the ’80s and ’90s divas — Tina Turner, Grace Jones, Annie Lennox, Cher, and Enya. I first heard Aretha Franklin’s full 2 CD greatest hits album when I was 12 and cried. Having a discman was really important to me but we would also listen to tapes in the car on long drives to the Coromandel. We would mainly listen to the Beatles while my Mum would talk about ‘Beatlemania’ and how she lost her mind listening to their music. When I was 14 my dear friend made a mix tape with Patti Smith, Sex Pistols, and Iggy Pop. It was great! I lost my iPod at a Christmas party and I still miss it every day.
What are some career highlights so far?
Making my debut album Pikipiki, pressing it on vinyl was a huge moment. During Matariki I organised a three day pre launch where I got to present the album in three different ways. One of the most special outcomes from the album is having the opportunity to perform with a septet of string players to perform my single “Toitū Te Tiriti”.
Tell us about your latest album/EP.
This album is about ascending, working toward my dreams and sharing a positive feeling with the listener. The last few years have seen a lot of changes for all of us and I wanted this work to offer a cathartic release from all of the burdens that weigh us down.
What kind of personality traits and values do you believe it takes to succeed in the music industry?
Music is like most jobs, it will challenge you on your capabilities to work in a team, to meet deadlines and take some calculated risks. Whether that aligns with your personality is a different story! Personally, I like to learn on the job and live in the deep end.
How would you describe your music to a potential fan?
It starts at the bottom of the mountain and takes you all the way to the top.
What are your goals for 2026 and beyond?
I’m looking forward to playing more shows and making more music. We just finished a big trip to Japan so I’m really looking forward to being home for the holidays and conjuring up our next dream. 2025 has been a series of a lot of amazing goals being met so I feel very confident about entering the next year with a clean slate.
