Hemi Hemingway doesn’t shy away from the word “yearning.” In fact, he leans into it.
The Aotearoa artist’s second album, Wings of Desire, arrives as what he calls a “total yearnfest” — a widescreen meditation on connection, heartbreak, identity and the slippery space between who we were and who we’re becoming.
Released via PNKSLM Recordings, the record marks a turning point for Hemingway. After relocating from the UK back to Aotearoa in 2022 and navigating the end of a long-term relationship, he found himself writing through grief and rediscovery in equal measure. If 2023’s Strangers Again introduced his noir-tinged romanticism, Wings of Desire deepens the palette, with romantic ’50s and ’60s melodicism colliding with gothic ’80s post-punk and new romantic drama. The title nods to Wings of Desire, a fitting reference point for a record preoccupied with longing and transformation.
Co-produced with James Goldsmith and brought to life by a tight-knit community of collaborators — including Vera Ellen and Georgia Gets By — the album is the first Hemingway hasn’t recorded on his own. That openness pays off. From the alternative radio-topping title track to the political urgency of closer “No Future No Future No Future”, Wings of Desire feels expansive and intimate at once, a body of work that captures an artist stepping fully into himself.
With international showcases locked in, growing support from tastemaker stations, and Australia firmly in his sights, Hemingway is moving about in his seat again… this time not as a kid at his first gig, but as an artist ready to take his place on a much bigger stage.
Hemingway with his full band will play an exclusive Wings of Desire album launch party on Friday, February 27th at Auckland’s Neck of the Woods with support from Roy Irwin and Big Sur. Limited tickets are available via undertheradar.co.nz.
Hemi Hemingway’s Wings of Desire is out now.
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Rolling Stone AU/NZ: How much did music influence you in your early life?
Hemi Hemingway: I don’t have many memories from my early years, but I do remember thrashing a Split Enz cassette my mum had at her place, and I remember listening to her Queen Greatest Hits CD over and over too. And every time my older brother would visit home he’d bring his acoustic guitar and sing and play, and even in the ‘90s rock era I still found it fascinating and moving. When I was 10 my dad won tickets to Tim Finn, Dave Dobbyn, and Bic Runga in concert and took me along with him. It was my first concert. As he puts it, I was “moving about in my seat, unable to sit still with excitement.” I started learning guitar, and once my twin brother started writing music I knew I wanted to as well.
RS: What artists influenced you growing up?
HH: My start was in punk, hardcore and screamo. I loved The Ramones and Dead Kennedys, and also bands like Alexisonfire and Underoath. The album I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning by Bright Eyes got me really into country and folk at 14. At 17 my brother introduced me to The Cure, and I got really into The Strokes around the same time.
RS: What are some career highlights so far?
HH: Signing to PNKSLM was a huge moment for me. I’ve always thought their label was so cool, and I never imagined they’d go for Hemi Hemingway. But from the start they’ve been so into it and so supportive, and so keen on pushing it further and further. Opening for Kurt Vile in 2023 and A. Savage (Parquet Courts) in 2024 were also huge moments for me. More recently some of my songs have been played on BBC 6 Music, and the songs from ‘Wings of Desire’ have been getting traction on KEXP, so I’m really blown away by that, as both those stations have been a huge source of inspiration for me for over a decade. This year I’ve also been confirmed for SXSW in Austin, Texas and The Great Escape in Brighton, England, so I’m trying not to freak out too much!
RS: Tell us about your latest album/EP.
HH: Wings of Desire is a total yearnfest. Yearning for connection, for growth, and (fittingly) for desire. It was all written and recorded between 2022-2025. In that time I moved from London back to NZ, and came through the ending of a long-term relationship. Every song is an outpouring from a huge period of change; some of it dramatic and all-consuming, some of it light and accepting. All of it in some way about reconnecting with oneself, accepting one’s past and envisioning one’s future. It also brought about a shift in my approach to recording and production. Wings of Desire is the first album that I haven’t recorded myself. James Goldsmith (co-producer, recording & mixing engineer) was a huge part of lifting this album, and having all the extra personnel (Josh Dominikovich – drums, Zelia Shaw & Toby Leman – sax, Vera Ellen & Georgia Gets By – duet vocals, and Frances Grass, Dean Blackwell, Lucy Beeler, Clare McNamara, Tessa de Lyon & Arran Cargill-Brown – backing vocals) all involved really helped to bring extra voice and life to the whole album. I leaned hard into the ‘80s new wave, new romantic aesthetics, and it’s the most Hemi Hemingway of all of my music so far.
RS: What kind of personality traits and values do you believe it takes to succeed in the music industry?
HH: I think it kinda depends on what each artist classifies as success. Obviously drive and ambition are crucial – it’s a low-to-no paying job that’s full of rejection – but personally I think a security in oneself and a belief in what you’re doing is also crucial. You’re really the only one that can push it to where you want it to go (wherever that may be), and being true to your own vision as much as possible gives not only the project but also your emotional energy longevity.
Also, being open to pouring yourself into the music. People wanna hear YOU. Injecting yourself into your art can feel horrible, but it’s really the thing that people want to hear. I feel that an audience desires real connection with an artist, and they can smell a rat a mile off. It’s a confronting artform, but ultimately rewarding and a huge avenue for growth and personal development.
And being able to celebrate the wins, no matter how “small”!
RS: How would you describe your music to a potential fan?
HH: An ‘80s-infused, synth-soaked yearnfest for the romantic in all of us.
RS: What are your goals for 2026 and beyond?
HH: Well, SXSW this year, and a UK/EU tour that includes The Great Escape are already confirmed goals (hooray!). I also wanna connect with booking agents internationally and in NZ, and tour more. Play some festivals. Play some more showcases. Getting over to Australia for some shows is high on my list. And I wanna keep enjoying doing Hemi!
