Singer Troy Kingi on the importance of whānau

Troy Kingi has released an album of 80s tracks and will be performing in Auckland on October 14. Photo / Abe Mora

Actor and singer-songwriter Troy Kingi is happiest when he's spending time with his wife Huia and their five children.

Troy Kingi's sixth album is all about synth pop, 1984-style. Year of the Ratbags And Their Musty Theme Songs is the latest instalment in his 1O 1O 1O Series, (10 albums in 10 years in 10 genres). Here he talks about being a self-critic, switching off and the perks of parenthood.

If I wasn't a musician, I've already been my other favourite thing (a scuba dive instructor), so maybe a chef? I'm not the greatest cook in the world because I would probably buckle under the Hell's Kitchen-type pressure, but I have loved cooking these past couple of years, so yeah, maybe a chef in a seafood restaurant.

The best way to get up and get started in the morning is by a morning toilet visit, shower, blueberry smoothie and The Abyssinians.

My morning routine consists of school lunches and drop-offs, listening to my unreleased album for the 300th time (making edits to the umpteenth hour) a little brekky, then emails. If I'm away on a job, then probably finishing a Netflix ep from the night before because I fell asleep, a lukewarm shower, Rubik's Cube (a recent buzz), glass of spirulina and then off to mahi.

I can't start my day without music. I'm not a coffee guy – music is definitely my caffeine.

Presentation isn't important to me because I'm all about comfort. Yeah, it's nice to get dressed up for shows, but you'll be hard-pressed to find me without my gumboots, Swanny (or poncho) and a Hills hat (sometimes even at my shows). Pretty rugged.

Troy Kingi in his KeriKeri studio. Photo / Jenny Ling

I feel my best

when I get home from being away all week at mahi and see my family. I feel complete.

I keep fit and healthy by doing Wim Hof breathing techniques once a day, fasting twice a week, a lot of 3-point basketball shooting, and I just started running again. I really want to get back into diving, like real hard. Once a week would be great.

To keep mentally and emotionally healthy I have a lot of hugs and heaps of laughs with the kids. I switch the phone off and listen to records.

The best advice I've ever been given about life is find a job you are truly passionate about so that you never have to work another day in your life.

The values I live by are family above everything, time is precious and respect your elders (unless they are real a**holes, then up to you).

As I get older, I realise the importance of rest. My body and mind ain't as sharp as they used to be, so I gotta give them all and any help I can get. Rest is best, and it's free.

I've suffered from imposter syndrome in the past, I felt like this with acting all the time. Honestly, no one is more critical of you than yourself, so as long as you don't do a mega sh*t job – it's gonna be fine.

When the going gets tough I tell myself to keep grinding. If things aren't going the way you expected them to, allow for change, but keep grinding. You'll either accomplish what you've set out to achieve or learn a lot from it.

The things that make me happiest are spending time with my family, eating nice food, and bringing new ideas to jam with the band.

On Sundays, you'll find me either in a Koru Lounge about to fly back to Kerikeri or at home cooking brisket on my offset smoker.

My best life hack used to be 'sit next to kids at a hākari (feast) so that you end up with all the kina' – but my kids smash them, so that theory's gone out the window.

Year of the Ratbags And Their Musty Theme Songs is available now on all digital platforms and on cassette and LP from Border.