In Pōneke Wellington, the arrival of CubaDupa means the city’s creative pulse spills out of venues and onto the streets.
For one weekend each March, the Cuba Precinct transforms into a sprawling open-air stage where music, theatre, food and performance collide, drawing thousands into a celebration that feels uniquely Wellington: colourful, chaotic and full of discovery.
Returning on March 28–29th, the nation’s largest free street festival will host more than 210 acts and over 220 performances across laneways, parks and stages throughout the neighbourhood. From pop and R&B to hip hop, electronic music and roving brass bands, the lineup captures the breadth of Aotearoa’s contemporary music scene alongside street theatre, dance and immersive art.
Among the artists set to perform is rising Kiwi pop voice RIIKI REID, whose set promises to bring a late-night burst of energy to Cuba Street.
For REID, the performance is more than just another festival slot. Wellington is home, and CubaDupa has long been part of the city’s cultural calendar. Long before she was releasing music or touring nationally, she was already part of the festival’s orbit — performing with a high-school band in the rain and taking part in flash-mob dance crews roaming the streets.
Now returning as a solo artist following the release of her EP Drench and a year that’s seen her step back into independence, REID is preparing for a set designed to match the festival’s anything-can-happen spirit.
Ahead of CubaDupa, we caught up with RIIKI REID to talk about hometown shows, rediscovering the DIY thrill of independence, and why Wellington’s biggest street party still feels like a celebration every time she walks down Cuba Street.
Love Music?
Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.
Rolling Stone AU/NZ: It’s been a minute since we last spoke for Opening Act! How’s everything been going?
RIIKI REID: Life has been full on. I’ve been sort of giving myself a break over the summer — focusing on re-centering myself, having quality time with my friends and family, experiencing all the goodness that comes with that and being really fully present, maxxing out on being out in the sunshine and by the ocean. The past year really has been the biggest year of change for me in every sense of the word, so I have been really cautious to prioritise feeling grounded, calm, happy and inspired. I’ve been writing lots, too. Life’s given a lot of inspiration lately.
Are you excited to play CubaDupa?
Ecstatic. Any chance to play a home show. A lot of artists disagree, but I find home shows the most unnerving. I love performing for my friends and family; they give me so much energy and it’s always such a reminder to myself why I love performing when I can perform at home. It feels like a celebration. CubaDupa is so iconic to Wellington, it is perhaps the most lively Wellington is all year and I feel honoured to be a part of it.
Have you played it before or been there as a fan?
I’ve never performed a RIIKI REID show for CubaDupa, but funnily enough, my old high school band played back when I was 16 years old in the pouring rain to about 20 people. My dance crew also used to be street performers in CubaDupa back in the day — I was a part of flash mobs… bring back flash mobs, I hope they make a resurgence. Every year [for] the past five years my whole friend group has made a day out of CubaDupa — the food (go find the Ethiopian food stand — unreal), the performers, the DJs, everyone is so happy. It’s easily in my friends and I’s top three days of the year.
It must feel so special to play such an iconic festival in your hometown!
Honestly, it brings me so much warmth. The fact that anyone can come; kids, grandparents, people who wouldn’t usually have the access into a normal venue you might see these musicians, it’s so cool. It’s literally free… the city needs more of it. I have a village of my loved ones coming… it’s going to get feral…
Have you had a chance to check out the full lineup? Any other acts you’re particularly keen to see?
I did look at the lineup this week actually – It’s an incredible lineup. Honestly it’s hard to pick, I think the best part of CubaDupa is aimlessly walking and stumbling upon a performance that you just HAVE to stop and watch… and fall in love with! I’m a big sucker for the South American big bands that walk up the streets — I want to be in one. Paige, Dillon Jo, Yawner and Fine Wine Social Club are among the musos I will be in the audience for.
What can fans expect from your set?
Well, I am going to try to make it as energetic as possible. I know Wellington likes to party, especially at 9pm on Cuba St, so the goal is to give a safe space for people to come, jump, dance, rage, let loose and party. The set is curated to do so, I have a few surprise guests that’ll make an appearance in my set too.
Tell us about Drench. Were you happy with fans’ response to the EP?
Honestly, I have no idea what the fans’ response is to this EP. Of course I care what fans think of it, I hope they like it? But I think my focus with this EP was more so a release for myself more than anything. It acted as an escape from reality for me, filled with heaps of ‘sunshine and rainbows’ per say. Perhaps this EP steps more into a defined pop world that I’ve created, and maybe fans will enjoy the consistency of this world. I’m proud of it, and it really is only the tastemaker for what’s to come next.
What was your favourite track on the EP? Too hard to pick?!
Every song has had a moment of being my favourite, my team can vouch for that. Right now, my favourite is “What If”. It’s probably because I have been feeling really nostalgic lately, and this song feels sonically like nostalgia to me.
How was it supporting the one and only Rob Thomas last year?
Him and his team were a hoot — the friendliest crew I think I’ve ever worked with. The audience was so lovely. I sang the song from “Meet the Robinsons” every single night from side stage. It’s quite amazing to witness someone who has been in the music game for so long, and has at least 1 song from their catalogue that has played a symbolic part in every single person’s life at one moment. It was so nostalgic.
Did I read that you’re an independent artist again? How are you navigating that transition? I hope it’s going well so far!
You heard right. Honestly, I am good. People assume that you aren’t all good after getting “dropped,” but that is a lie, for me at least anyway. I knew it was time to leave and move on, the times were simply changing for me. I have not a bad word to say about my journey as a signed artist the past five years — I have so much respect for that chapter of my life and the people that were in it, but it felt like the right time to part ways. I haven’t been independent for five years, but I am remembering that I was independent for two years before I signed to a major and in that time my friend (acting manager) and I learnt how to do absolutely everything on our own. That was how we got a deal in the first place and to be honest, that was where all the fun was.
View this post on Instagram
There’s something exciting me about getting really hands on, creative and DIY again. Not that I slacked off as a signed artist, but there are literal people that are there to take jobs off your plate at the label, you say what you want and the whole team makes it happen, sometimes people you’ve never met before have done all this work for you. It is so rewarding when you’re indie, you really make shit happen all on your own and it is incredibly hard graft, it comes with sacrifices but you find one way or another to make the vision happen, and it is so rewarding. It’s where all the learning and growth happens.
And might I say, in this day in age it is just as possible to achieve lots as an indie artist as it is a signed artist. Obviously I’d love to find a new team of people who are passionate about my project again, but for now, I am putting all my energy into enjoying the process as an independent artist. Things will happen when they happen, my focus is to keep being authentic and honest with my project. I’m not worried.
View this post on Instagram
What’s coming up for you after CubaDupa? Any new music…?
Oh yes. I am getting my ducks in a row. I want to release a new song in April — currently working hard to make sure that happens. My first independent release in five years! I hope people like it and if they do, I hope they find ways to support it.
We do a series on Rolling Stone called Musicians on Musicians, where we pair up artists who love each other’s music for a conversation. If you could be paired with any Kiwi artist, past or present, who would it be?
This is a very tough question. Maybe The Naked and Famous. Or Gin Wigmore. Or Bic Runga. Fazerdaze, Marlon Williams, Mermaidens. I might start listing the A-Z…
