The Ones to Watch programme has landed in New Zealand, providing up and coming musicians with a platform for their work and an opportunity to showcase their music to a wide range of audiences. The Spinoff talks to emerging artists RIIKI and Park Rd about where they’ve come from, and where 2020 has taken them.
RIIKI is one to watch. She’s in the final year of a commercial music degree, she’s got four bright pop singles out, and she’s been playing to crowds since high school. As far as 20-year-old up-and-comers go, she’s coming up with a lot of experience.
Oron and Saffari’s festival isn’t like others. Instead of binge-drinking to loud music, ticket holders enjoy wellness workshops, yoga tutorials, sweat lodges and juice cleanses during the day, while an eclectic musical selection soundtracks dance parties at night. “The essence of Earthbeat is for people to feel empowered, revitalised and amped up for life,” says Saffari. “People come away more energised than when they came to the festival.” On that hot March day, Oron and Saffari were standing in the serenity of Ātiu Creek, watching their festival city being built around them with smiles on their faces. Then their phones buzzed. It was a government alert: New Zealand would soon go into lockdown to contain the spread of an outbreak of Covid-19.