Hamilton first stop on Marina Bloom national tour

Marina Bloom's new album Back Where We Started mixes pop, country, soft rock, electro-dance and ethnic. Photo / Supplied

Singer Marina Bloom who has been performing to sold out crowds in Auckland where she lives, is about to take her soulful music throughout New Zealand on her first national tour, starting in Hamilton on Friday.

Her music is described as 'World Melodic Pop' and Marina's new album Back Where We Started mixes pop, country, soft rock, electro-dance and ethnic. This eclectic range of styles injected with her Russian language and heritage tells a spellbinding story.

"I'm so excited to take my music on the road and meet new people.

"My songs are about love, life, loss - things that most people can relate to, so the true test is seeing people's reaction to the music played live. It's the best feeling," Marina says.

She plays at the Nivara Lounge in Hamilton on Friday January 31, starting at 8pm.

Last year was a banner year for Marina's songwriting recognition. She has been selected as a finalist in multiple international songwriting competitions and was a semi-finalist in the renowned world competition Unsigned Only, for Flying (out of 6000 entries only 13 New Zealanders were selected).

Fans have already been treated to a small portion of her new album with five singles released in 2019 with accompanying lyric videos including the competition finalists Flying and Not Another Ballad, as well as recent singles One for the Road, Lions Fighting in a Church and Greetings from Sydney.

• Back Where We Started Album Release Tour: Tickets and information here.

Glass Heart String Choir

Also at the Nivara Lounge in the week ahead is Seattle Baroque Pop duo Glass Heart String Choir who have an affinity with New Zealand which began when guitar-player and vocalist Ian Williams toured the country with US Chamber-pop songwriter Shenandoah Davis in 2018.

Glass Heart String Choir's music is compelling in its use of sweeping cinematic strings layered and looped, intricate harp, piano and guitar arrangements. Photo / Supplied

On the trip he met New Zealand artists such as Anthonie Tonnon, and dream-pop band French for Rabbits who he later joined on their US tours.

He returns in Glass Heart String Choir alongside harp-player, violinist and composer Katie Mosehauer.

Their music is compelling in its use of sweeping cinematic strings layered and looped, intricate harp, piano and guitar arrangements, and Ian's engaging and emotive vocal delivery.

Their songs hark back to baroque composition technique at times, but also draw from classic folk writers such as Leonard Cohen and contemporary counter-parts such as Joanna Newsom, and Andrew Bird.

They play at Nivara Lounge on Wednesday February 5 with Emme Smith.

• Tickets and information here.