Muroki on the Power of Community Ahead of Jim Beam Homegrown 2024

In Partnership with Jim Beam 

This weekend, Jim Beam Homegrown 2024 is set to host the very best of New Zealand’s music and culture – bringing together great tunes, tasty drinks, and excellent vibes. Above all, it’s an opportunity to celebrate who we are, and the people we love, through music. 

For the first time, young New Zealand artist, Muroki, is joining the lineup for the gig of a lifetime. Ahead of his performance on the Wellington waterfront on Saturday, March 16th, the musician shares the important role community has played in his music career and upbringing. 

“I live in quite a small town, Raglan, it’s only 4,000 to 5,000 people here. So it’s a very community-based kind of town,” he says. “The whole town got behind [my music] and it was like a big support network.” 

This sense of community and support is something the team at Jim Beam look out for, which makes Muroki a great fit for Jim Beam Homegrown 2024. Through their ‘people are good for you’ platform, the brand is all about acknowledging the people who have impacted us the most – both in life and in music. 

When it comes to his music career so far, Muroki says he’s “pretty self-motivated.”

“I don’t think anyone needed to tell me [to keep going with music] – I was kind of just like, ‘I’m just going to do this,’ because I love it.” 

Muroki

That said, he credits his family and friends for showing unwavering support as he was coming up. His mum, who introduced him to the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Gil Scott-Heron, and Ben Harper through playing music around the house, is his number one fan and a big source of inspiration. Thanks to her, he grew up on rhythm rock, soulful pop, and funk. 

“That’s the stuff my mum listened to. I think it’s influenced me a lot now. It kind of got ingrained in my head and paved its way into my music,” he says. “My mum has been really supportive since day one.” 

Muroki’s music career started at five years old: ukulele lessons quickly turned into guitar playing, producing and writing music, then, eventually, singing. At 14, he started the band Cloak Bay with a hometown friend. 

Even back then, his music brought people together. He laughs while telling the story: “The first time we played I was 15 and it was kind of funny because it was in this 18+ club, but all of our friends came with their parents. It was a bit of an awkward gig, but it was nice.” This embodiment of Jim Beam’s ‘people are good for you’ message shows how local support can propel talent onto the national stage.

Jim Beam Homegrown

Today, support looks a bit different than a bunch of underage kids watching a gig with their parents – but it’s still just as important. “My band, the creatives that I work with now, I couldn’t do it without them,” Muroki says. 

Muroki is performing at Jim Beam Homegrown 2024 fresh off the release of his latest EP, Timezones, a collection of feel-good songs that came together in a clear vision of creativity over the course of 11 days. Over Zoom, his excitement about the new music is palpable through the screen. 

“I went to the States and spent 11 days in the studio with producer Dave Hammer,” he says. “We just kind of locked in on it.”

“I hope people can enjoy the EP as much as I enjoyed making it. It was super clear, everything was just easy. It didn’t take me long and I put it out six months after writing it.” The result is both fresh and familiar, resonating with fans of classic soul and modern alternative R&B. 

In fact, “easy” is the perfect word to describe Muroki’s music. He doesn’t force it – and that’s exactly why so many people connect to it. It’s the type of music you want to put on when you’re feeling relaxed and happy. 

“It was always my dream, which is nice because I’m living it. I love my job,” he says. 

As someone who’s playing Jim Beam Homegrown for the first time, Muroki is looking forward to connecting with other New Zealand artists backstage. “I’ve never been to Homegrown before, but a lot of my friends are playing. I’m excited to hang out with everybody and just enjoy each other’s company.”

Check out Muroki at homegrown.net.nz and see how Jim Beam is bringing people together to celebrate the very best of New Zealand’s music and culture. 

I want in!