On the Radar: Aron Dee
Fresh talent is quickly emerging and Aron Dee is one of them. Photo credit: Aron’s Facebook.
Aron Dee is quickly making a name for himself with the humble tones of his music that he has worked on for countless hours, days and months before being released into the world.
The words settling heavy on the heart of situations where the toughness has been the forefront of his mind. However, as we know, with great heartbreak, comes great music and Aron is no exception to that rule.
Chilled out, down-to-earth, with well thought out moments, Aron is a legendary human who, while at the beginning of his journey, is taking flight and putting everything into action as soon as he possibly can.
Taking the time to perfect Aron’s craft has proven to pay off, with listeners and followers flocking in droves to hear about his relationship experiences and watch his excitable Instagram stories that will always showcase his readiness for all of the good things that continue to come his way.
Young artists are the ones that need to be believed in the most - this upcoming generation of budding musicians have this knack for making things that we may have not seen before and for that, I think that is super special.
With a few songs under his belt already, Aron has nothing stopping him from the goals he is currently achieving and will continue to achieve.
For more Aron, check out the links below -
Spotify
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Wasting my Time review - WTTG
On the Radar: Leah Kelsey
A bright, rising star in the midst of the craziness of the world, Leah Kelsey. Photo credit: Leah’s Facebook.
You may have heard of her, however if you haven’t, it’s time to get associated with Leah Kelsey, a Christchurch local with a big year ahead of her.
Starting 2023 with a bang, Leah announced that she will be writing and releasing a song a month, which seems pretty unfathomable to most artists, however, Leah has taken the challenge on with a full-on good attitude and spirit.
Leah has this wholesome vibe to not only her music, but also her personality, which adds to her charm of goodness encompassing her bright creativity. She comes soaring in with a passion to enhance words and situations, providing us with vulnerability, truth and flawlessness. Something the world needs to hear more of.
Being a musician is not only about the creation of what you do, it extends beyond that and I can clearly see that Leah takes that rather seriously, a perfect mix to showcase in general.
While listening to Leah’s tunes, it feels like all of the positive words are being poured from a filled tea cup into someone else’s who may need it and to me, that feeling is one of comfort and care.
I feel that Leah is either someone you could be best friends with, or someone you could look up to, or both. In all different aspects of life.
Leah has just released her third song of 2023 with one of her best friends, Josette, First Tooth which is astonishingly moving. I would highly recommend you pop it on for your relaxing routine after a long slog of a Monday at work/school.
On the Radar: Sam Heselwood
Sam Heselwood doing his thing. Photo credit: Jared Yeoward.
The New Zealand Dean Lewis or even Ed Sheeran… That is how I would describe the talent that flows from Canterbury local Sam Heselwood who is getting his career on the fast track recently with his throwback releases and meaningful lyrics that will grasp you in from the first time you hear them.
Sam describes his body of work as being relatable life experiences that can be shared with listeners from all over and he is certainly hitting that mark, especially with his moving new release Outside Kinda Kids which strips back the childhood moments that kids are living now and allows those younger ones to experience what us bigger kids got to when we were their ages.
Sam has worked with SOLE Music Academy, whom have helped support him along the way of his musical ambitions and the team there are exceptionally proud of what he has come to achieve so far, evident by how hyped they were to encourage Sam at his gig with Jaz Paterson earlier this year.
Sam has this incredibly calming presence about him, allowing emotions to be shown throughout his entire time on stage, which I think is exceptionally important, especially for males to show that they also feel things and freely express these to an audience. This has made me personally respect Sam even more, being able to show this vulnerability within his music and words.
Get on your merry way and make sure that you chuck a spin on Sam’s music and let him know what your thoughts are at the below links:
On the Radar: Jupita
Jupita has great style! Photo credit to Gala George.
She’s got Anxiety, I’ve got Anxiety, but Jupita (AKA Julia) brings a light-hearted approach to this topic with the way she places her infectious spirit on the table, therefore, I am pleased to be able to share a little about her on this weeks On the Radar.
Jupita is an Indie based artist rising from Auckland and she is another artist to keep a very close eye on - nobody can predict her next step.
While Jupita is just gaining speed after the release of her recent single, Anxiety, she is making thrashing waves across the globe with listeners as far away as London and the United States with an impressive 19,000+ plays on the track on Spotify since it was born late February.
To make Jupita even more cool, she has an Instagram dedicated to doing stick and poke tattoos, which came about through being self taught - so impressive.
Creativity clearly runs within Jupita’s blood and I am looking forward to hearing more tunes from this stylish, fantastic up-and-coming young musician. She understands the depths of how to create tunes that will captivate listeners and bring it home with her true lyrics and upbeat tones.
What appeals to me about Jupita is that she seems to have this bright and bubbly personality, reaching out to the world with open arms. This is evident from looking at her social media and from her Spotify bio, too.
Make sure to keep up with Jupita below -
On the Radar: Castaway
The Castaway dudes! Credit to the band’s Instagram for this shot.
Dynamic, mixer-uppers of the craft and absolute jammers on toast, I am happy to present Christchurch band, Castaway as this week’s On the Radar!
Having found their sound through playing around Christchurch and immersing themselves into whatever they are able to, Castaway have become a hit with listeners around the country and even stretching as far as Singapore - an impressive effort to be proud of.
The band is made up of Jack, Austen, Rhys, Joe and Jackson, who are full of energetic spells and have more to offer with their creativity and hard work that hasn’t gone unnoticed. They each have their own instruments they play, along with sometimes switching it up and moving throughout their sets to play on other instruments which is so fun and allows the guys to showcase their multitude of talents to their audience.
Having released their debut EP in a time of crazy “chaos” around the world, Chaos & Order has been able to reach new heights and taken us all on a wave of truths that only Castaway can deliver.
Sweet Science has to be my top pick of the songs they have released so far. That, or Straight for Starters. However, it sounds like they are going to release some new music in the coming months potentially, so follow along with them for updates!
On the Radar: Alba Rose
Serenity. Rosie Spearing AKA Alba Rose is absolutely loving life and setting the country on fire with her tunes currently. Photo credit: Maria Anna.
You may have heard her name or her songs being played on Plains FM from time-to-time and this wonder woman that I’m featuring today is Rosie Spearing AKA Alba Rose, former Corduroy. front woman who has recently taken on some new challenges by going solo and absolutely showering down her talent on the female music industry in NZ, proving to be an inspiration for many.
Alba is an indie-soul singer-songwriter living in windy Wellington, where she is busy writing away lovely new songs and filling out her days with wondering what the next step on her musical journey is going to be.
Having very recently released her debut EP, Silhouette, Alba is tracking towards big things with her favourable tunes that have captivated many around the country and she looks to have a big few months ahead of her. Alba has been added to the line-up of the sold out Tora Bombora and close to selling out Taupo festival, Le Currents. Two of the hottest summer festivals that if you’re not going, you will indeed suffer from FOMO.
Alba is someone who paints the town with all of her bright colours that will highlight your day, making you unable to forget her beautifully calming voice that will mellow you out. Alba’s music makes me feel like she’s the main act at a small gig where she is playing an acoustic set. Everyone is gathered right in front of the stage, sitting on the most comfortable beanbags and singing their hearts out along with her, fairy lights illuminating the room, our thoughts so far from our minds that it feels like everything is just peaceful and we have no worries in the world. Those are my favourite types of gigs and to have Alba be able to make anyone feel that relaxed is quite reassuring as to why you should go and listen to her music.
You can find Alba at all the links below - go listen to her music for some freeing Tuesday tunes!
On the Radar: Keeltys
Sam Keelty performing at Space Academy during winter 2021. Photo taken by me on the Sony A6000.
Christchurch band Keeltys, are quickly gaining attention from the local community with earning a spot on line-ups of a fair few gigs around the city at the Darkroom, Space Academy and Dux Central, just to name a few.
Keeltys have been on a journey, there have been different members of the band while they find their feet, however, each time, they smash it out, no matter who is playing. The band is made up of Samuel Keelty on vocals and guitar, Amy Claire on the drums, Harry Finlayson-Hood on lead guitar and backing vox and Jack Taylor on the bass.
Keeltys describe their music as garage-pop infused with a bit of electro-jazz-rock. Keeltys brings it to the table and grasps the audience attention from all corners of the city, making their performances memorable and fun to go and have a boogie to (Welcome to the Gig boogie approved).
Like all musicians that I have written about on the blog, Keeltys are humble and kind, making them the perfect band to be featured On the Radar. Stoked to be able to spread the word on these fantastic four.
Two Twenty Five Zen is my favourite track that has been released thus far from Keeltys, it starts off completely laid back and as the song gets further involved, it explodes with gruff vocals (in a good way) and brings out that jazz-rock moment with the instruments that get played a little rougher and louder - a highly enjoyable experience where none of the members are messing around with creating their sound. They mean business.
Make sure that if you’re in Christchurch over the next few months, look out for Keeltys on the brilliant venue line-ups and get along to see them because this may not be the very beginning for the band, but this is certainly nowhere near the end for them - they are getting places, don’t be left behind not knowing about them!
Make sure that you’re following along with Keeltys at the below links -
On the Radar: Coast Arcade
Coast Arcade is made up of Bella Bavin (vocals, lead guitar), Hans Setiawan (bass), Thom Boynton (drums) and Chris Tims (guitar). Photo credit: Coast Arcade’s Facebook.
Coast Arcade are a bright, young, vibrant band pushing their way into the New Zealand music scene with their surf-indie-rock style that has made impressions with myself and others across the country.
Rising above from Auckland, this talented four-piece have started up in 2021 and not let lockdown slow down their vibes and creativity, using the likes of Zoom and GarageBand to keep them on the path towards where they want to be during this ongoing pandemic.
After performing and working very hard in this years Smokefree Rockquest, they are just starting to turn up the notch on what our little ears can expect and they clearly have a bright future ahead as they are hoping to record and release a couple of new songs over the coming months, as well as starting live shows back up again.
What makes Coast Arcade unique is that they have a strong-vocal frontwoman, Bella, who is passionate about making her voice known and she has a great way of incorporating her vocals with the other instruments that Chris, Thom and Hans play in the band - a wonderful mix where they all compliment each other superbly. You can tell that all four members are really into what they are doing and enjoy perfecting their art, an outstanding attitude to have.
Coast Arcade get a huge thumbs up from team Welcome to the Gig and I cannot wait to see what they release next!
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Catch up on Coast Arcade’s adventures below -
On the Radar: The Hootz
The Hootz (L-R): Kasey Andrews (drums), Jahquinn Black AKA Blackie (lead singer, guitar), Jayden Bowley (bass) and Mitch Bowley-Black (lead guitar) have made mega waves in the Christchurch music scene with their epic twist on reggae tunes. Photo by Kate Snake Creative.
Welcome to On the Radar, round two! This time, I am bringing you yet another local Christchurch formed band, The Hootz! I’ve been waiting for quite some time to feature these four on the blog after following them around the country last year when they opened for their good pals, Dolphin Friendly for quite a few shows.
The Hootz bring their vibrant and eccentric vibes to the stage and you will leave feeling on top of the world, completely reenergised, ready to dive head first into the world when the show finishes in eruptive style. The Hootz bring it all, but they also know when to turn it down and change the atmosphere to have their fans hear their chilled out moments, such as when they perform Dream - a laidback ballad that will have you stood still in silence while Blackie brings his subtle vocals to the table.
For a more upbeat tune, A Friend to Find is definitely one to check out - this is off their debut self-titled EP, released in 2020, a fantastic get-up off your chair type track which will have you jumping and bumping for ages.
Why should you listen to The Hootz?
Well, aside from their amazing music, their personalities are fun and keep you on your toes. Genuinely nice guys and fun to party with, too!
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Find more of The Hootz below and spin them a listen (plus a yarn!) -
On the Radar: Mackensie Grace
Mackensie is certainly one of the artists that you need to keep your ears open for and make sure to give her a listen! With her ever strengthening vocals and experience with song writing for over a decade, Mackensie brings that professionally optimistic and talented twist with her wherever she goes. Photo credit: Mackensie’s Instagram.
Welcome to a new segment on the blog called On the Radar! It is essentially where I write a little blurb about artists that should be on your radar, because their brilliantly talented selves have shined through and baffled me with their sentiments. Plus, discovering new musicians is pretty wonderful.
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Today, I bring you Auckland-based musical prodigy, Mackensie Grace, who released her debut EP, Our Night, on 14th May 2021 and brings you different genres throughout the six song modern jazz, pop-ballad, smartly recorded EP - it has the ultimate dance factor to it and will have you doing a shimmy all night long.
Mackensie has been writing her own songs for over a decade, so doesn’t fail to wow listeners with her stunningly powerful vocals and showcases her skills from what she has learnt throughout her life and through studying at the University of Auckland to enhance her abilities.
Incredibly, Mackensie has also had a bit of international exposure in the way of that she has performed for a Casting Director in New York and has even composed some original music - this girl is far from bored and uninspired, her motivation on the top level. Mackensie is showcasing everything that she has and is allowing anyone with dreams as big as hers to see that they too, can make them a reality.
Why should you listen to Mackensie?
She brings it all to the table in terms of being a hustler, creates beautifully intricate ballads and is a generally sweet human.
My favourite song?
Our Night!
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You can check out Mackensie at all of the links below -
Spotify
Instagram
Facebook
Website
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On the Radar is a new segment for Welcome to the Gig, aiming to provide exposure of wonderful, relatively undiscovered artists. If you would like to have a chat about how to get on the blog or the podcast, please see the social media/email links at the top of the website!