Soulful Danish electro-pop artist MO, who has risen as an international star this year, has surprisingly spent New Year's Eve in New Zealand before, as a child travelling with her parents.

2014 has been a big year for you, what have been your highlights? Splendour in the Grass was a massive one for us. It's really hard to highlight just a few moments. Everything has been incredible.

Drum 'n' bass innovator Goldie says New Zealand has always been a stronghold of the genre. He talks to Lydia Jenkin.

Jamaican singer Etana, in town for Raggamuffin, uses her artistic name to make a statement, she tells Lydia Jenkin.

Here are TimeOut's picks of the big gigs bringing in 2015.

"To get a beer," writes Chris Schulz, "you had to queue to buy beer tokens, queue to enter the beer-drinking enclosure, and queue to redeem your tokens."

Chris Schulz talks to Cypress Hill ahead of their slot at Raggamuffin and finds they still get a kick out of performing - among other things.

Splore is upping the ante for next year's festival, adding even more big names and events to an already bulging and eclectic line-up that boasts 300 acts.

Auckland's Grey Lynn Park Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary in style on Saturday.

Summer's music festival hopes have been boosted by solid additions to February's Splore line-up, including British DJ Mr Scruff and hip-hop supergroup Deltron 3030.

Next year's Auckland Arts festival has a Cherry on top with Swedish star Nenah Cherry coming to town. And piano legend John Legend will play Vector Arena in December.

Womad festival has announced its line-up today, and top of the bill is Sinead O'Connor.

R&B legend Angie Stone tells Lydia Jenkin how proud she is to be part of SoulFest line-up next weekend.

Traders at next year's Glastonbury Festival have been banned from selling Native American headdresses following an online petition that got just 65 signatures.

As earlybird tickets go on sale for Womad 2015, the festival has revealed a sneak peek at the line-up, announcing two grand international stars: effervescent balladeer Rufus Wainwright and lifelong star of world music Youssou N'Dour.

Splore Festival, which goes from being biannual to annual next year, has announced another handful of artists to add to the bill for its three-day party from February 20 to 22 at Tapapakanga Regional Park.

Auckland music festival Laneway has confirmed it will return to Silo Park for next year's event, to be held on January 26, 2015.

Relentless rain has put an end to revelry at this year’s Burning Man festival before it could even begin.

In honour of Matariki, Danielle Wright rounds up activities that everyone can enjoy, from twilight bush walks to narrated waka sailings.

Photos from the 2014 Glastonbury music festival in England.

If you're in a hurry to meet your maker, a religious pilgrimage may be the most direct route.

Fine, warm weather greeted the thousands of people who lined the Queenstown CBD today to take in the action from the Golden Mile and the annual Street Parade.

The sky is the limit as a Northland town turns on the charm for a winter festival, writes Elisabeth Easther.

Small town New Zealand does wonderful and whacky to keep up our winter spirits.

Auckland could be on the verge of inheriting the Raggamuffin reggae music festival from Rotorua.

Aussie rap crew Hilltop Hoods are so big at home they make newspaper headlines just by going out for lunch.

This year's festival runs from June 20-29. Motorhome Republic have picked their top 10 free events at the big party.

Matt Philp meets some of the creative talent behind Nelson's upcoming winter festival season.