Musicians are a unique breed of people.
Talented and creative, it's not unusual to discover they're also clever wordsmiths and poets (especially the songwriters), who view the world with an individual point of view.
Over the years, we've been lucky enough to meet some of the brightest names in music, from international heavyweights to some of our best-loved local acts.
Here are some of our favourites:
“I’m getting more comfortable with trying. It sounds really basic, but sitting down and going ‘Okay, don’t freak out, don’t stress. Just do your job'."
- Marlon Williams
“I find it too difficult to talk to people about stuff I’m going through, but music is my outlet. Once a song is out it’s like a big weight off my shoulders and I can let those feelings go. If I’m able to help someone else through something it’s an amazing feeling.”
- Teeks
“I want to be seen as a gay person, but I also want to be seen as a talented musician. Right now, we're not in a place where we can say gender or sexuality doesn’t matter. The industry is getting there but until we are I’m proud to be representing the gay community. If that needs to be loud and proud and talked about all the time, I’m down.”
- King Princess
“There’s fear of confronting ideas and of looking at the world from different angles. We have to walk in someone else’s shoes to get a better picture of the world and move forward.”
- Julia Deans
“I feel liberated as an artist. There’s power in living openly and honestly while being gay. It’s also as simple as I’m just trying to tell my story and what’s real to me.”
- Troye Sivan
"When I perform it's sometimes not even about the words I'm singing. It's letting other women and mums see that they can follow their passion or do whatever it is that makes them feel alive. You don’t have to lose that in a society that still very much expects you to."
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Advertise with NZME.- Tami Neilson
"I think at the end of the day everybody has gone through some kind of heartache. Everybody knows that feeling and everyone channels into it. That’s where you know you get the good stuff.”
- Mark Ronson
"It’s okay to not be perfect, to admit when we need help. It can be tough out there! So many people, including some very close to me, have suffered from depression, anxiety, addiction and/or have been caught in cycles of destructive behaviour at some stage. The best thing that you can do in those situations is to talk to someone about it, whether it’s a friend, family member or maybe even a doctor/health professional/community group, etc. Don’t carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, there are people out there who care and who can help you get things back on track."
- Ned Ngatae, The Black Seeds
"This is the first time in the creative industry in a long time where it's all about being yourself and being aware of who you are. So whatever you are and feel inside is cool. It's not so much about fitting into the mould, it's about discovering who you are".
- Soraya La Pread
"If all the right ingredients are there I can get to this place. Music makes me a better person. It helps me understand the world and myself.”
- Nadia Reed
“I made the decision years ago not to focus on negativity especially when it’s about me. If there is negativity towards the LBGT community, of course, I do care, but if it’s just me receiving negativity I couldn’t care less.”
- Conchita Wurst
“I often find beauty in bad taste and imperfection over something that has had all the edges smoothed out.”
- Matthew Young
