Rotorua's Russell Harrison has relased an EP of original music. Photo / Supplied
For years audiences have lapped up the soulful sound of Rotorua's Russell Harrison singing songs everyone knows and loves.
Now he's letting his fans in on a little secret. He can write songs - and great ones at that.
He has just released his first EP, called Something Over Me, featuring four original tracks.
Harrison told the Rotorua Daily Post the "songs have always been there" because songwriting had always been a healthy way of expressing himself as a performer.
"It got to a point when I had all of these songs and I realised no one's going to hear them if I don't share them."
He said music for him was no longer about praise.
"I'm motivated differently now. When I was younger, songs were a vehicle to allow me to be seen and let my voice be heard and now the joy of songwriting brings me different things."
He said performing the songs was no longer the best part.
"It's writing the songs, getting creative, getting in the studio and working with the musicians and the engineer. That creative process is so fulfilling."
While working on cruise ships all over the world prior to Covid-19, he would hide away with a guitar and write music.
"Some of the songs are new, some of the ideas for the songs are old but each comes from a different place."
He said it was fine to be a great vocalist but you also needed to be a great storyteller. Singing your own songs makes those stories easier to tell.
"As a vocalist, we have the responsibility of translating someone else's words."
Harrison said he started planning the EP at the end of 2018 and recorded it as alert levels lifted in April. It's all self-funded, from putting away small amounts of money from all his gigs.
He has hand-picked people to work with on the EP including long-time friend and writing partner and acclaimed producer Dixon Nacey and musicians Peter Leupolu, Mostyn Cole and Stephen Thomas.
He said a live band sound was sometimes missing from new music recorded now and he wanted to showcase that live sound on his EP.
"I knew it was going to be a live band rather than a heavily produced studio orientated recording that was done by computer.
"When I was developing the songs I was well aware we had some of the strongest songwriters in the world in New Zealand and from all different genres. I had to understand which of those genres I could contribute to and be the best at."
What has come out is a sound that is nostalgic and live and naturally soul because "that's just the sound that comes out when I open my mouth".
It's a fresh combination and already the EP is getting rave reviews.
Meanwhile, Harrison said he was adapting to his new life post lockdown and one that didn't involve travelling around the world performing.
"Cruises ships teach you to be okay with yourself. You spend a lot of time by yourself on the ships and Covid just transferred that behaviour from sea to land. When I came on land it didn't take that long to adjust to being at home. We are lucky we have music, we can just pick up a guitar."
He said he was also studying towards his masters in Māori indigenous leadership at Canterbury University, which was something he wanted to do when he was younger but gigging, television, travelling and family became his priorities.
"There wasn't time to fulfil my tertiary education dreams."
But he said he was going to be singing for the rest of his life because it brings him so much joy.
"I can't get away from that and I'm not trying to but I know there are different paths in me that want to find their own voice."
The wishing tree appeal is in its 31st year and the need for it 'has never been greater'.