The Needle / New Zealand - Emerging

“The Needle / New Zealand - Emerging” brings together a wide spectrum of rising voices from both New Zealand and beyond, mixing genre-blending experimentation with raw, exploratory songwriting. The playlist moves between moody alt-pop like Mïlø and Lv2K’s “Running Up,” to cross-cultural hip-hop in “Desacreditado” by L7NNON and Central Cee, and unexpected genre mashups like “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other” with Orville Peck and Willie Nelson. With ethereal indie cuts from Caroline Dare and witherupinthepines, driving electronic boosts from Boys Noize and ELVEN DIOR, and leftfield rock tracks from Eidola and Obscurest Vinyl, there’s no single lane here.

This is a space where styles collide—trap from Hardrock, soulful acoustics by Blame Jones, experimental hip-hop from Booter Bee, and local flavours like CRUZE CONTROL’s “Long White Cloud.” It’s a scattered, energetic blend that highlights lesser-known names finding unique sounds, hinting at what’s bubbling under in New Zealand’s music scene as well as complimentary artists from around the globe.