There's a long history of Australia claiming Kiwi artists as their own, from Crowded House to Kimbra. The smaller country to the right of us has always been a breeding ground of great music but it feels like they're having a serious moment right now.
In the wake of acts like Lorde and Broods breaking it overseas, there are a whole new crop of artists ready to break overseas. We've put together a list of our favourite Kiwi newbies right now that we're inevitably going to claim as Australian very soon.
Theia
Theia is the next big popstar to come out of New Zealand and she just keeps coming through with the goods. From Bye Bye to Avant-Garde she's spent this year dropping edgy, forward-thinking pop songs that position her somewhere between Billie Eilish and Halsey.
Openside
Openside are making some of the most festival-ready music coming out of New Zealand right now. Their electronic rock songs are widescale and ambitious, giving us twinkling verses and thundering choruses that remind us of the punk energy of Paramore mixed in with the synth-pop electricity of CHVRCHES. Their most recent cut No Going Back is their biggest moment yet.
Thomston
Thomston is not necessarily new as he's already clocked up millions of views with debut album Topography but he's edging towards album number two and we're getting excited. His first taste of new music was the stripped-back, elated Acid Rain which showed a new, bolder side to him. With new music promised for next month, he's surely going to bring home 2018 strong.
Robinson
Robinson caught our attention with her mighty pop song Nothing To Regret earlier this year and it seems she's got plenty more in the tank. Her current single Medicine is far more subtle than Nothing To Regret but it's got a creeping power to it. With million of streams coming in by the day, she's a sure bet for superstardom.
Matthew Young
Lorde popped into Matthew Young's Sydney show earlier this year so you better believe he's got some serious eyes on him. The introverted Kiwi dropped an EP Fruit this year that tread a careful line between pop and R&B. Tunes like Collect and Hey prove that he's making music far beyond his years with a carefully constructed aesthetic to boot.
Chelsea Jade
Chelsea Jade is a mate of Lorde who is making some of the most pulsating, emotional pop music around right now. Her debut album Personal Best is criminally underrated and is full of eloquent, clever pop that will get you onto the dancefloor. Low Brow is epic, Laugh It Off is slinky and Speedboat is euphoric.
SACHI
SACHI are a Kiwi production duo who are continually releasing songs better than the last. Their latest Hollywood Angel features our very own E^ST and is a kitsch but emotional pop/dance moment that needs to be blasting out of radios both here and in New Zealand. We'd also highly recommend their glittery collaboration with Thomston, Ride.
