Daisy Grae on Breaking in to Wellington’s Music Scene

Words by Lucy Watson (she/her)

Any Wellington fresher would avoid the Aotearoa music scene at all costs when the names Six60, L.A.B., and Dave Dobbyn (having played at every NZ festival ever) usually flash to mind. However, if you take one look at @theimage04 on Instagram, you’ll find that Pōneke is brimming with a wealth of talented artists making fresh music that spans multiple genres. That doesn’t mean being an independent band or artist in Wellington is easy—especially for full-time students trying to juggle study and music like Daisy Grae. 

Daisy Grae are an alternative rock band, most often found playing at Pōneke venue staples, sporting blue face paint, and performing music inspired by Alice In Chains, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Jane’s Addiction. Formed in 2021, the band’s five members are all currently studying degrees ranging from Law to Computer Science. I talked to bassist Eva Duston-Fursman and lead singer Will Burke about their experiences as newcomers in the Wellington music scene.

Daisy Grae are fortunate enough to have gained a loyal following through their stay in halls of residence last year. Despite having a group of regular fans, being booked and busy is a challenge. Wellington is a small city with an ever-increasing population of emerging artists. Eva pointed out that the admin of booking gigs and searching for opportunities is one of the band’s biggest struggles. Most venues are booked out months in advance—Daisy Grae’s performance at Meow in early March was booked last October. 

As well as this, Daisy Grae are not immune to the universal student juggle of study, social life, and work. Eva summed up the pressures of being a full-time student and band member. “Half of us work nights, half of us work during the day, half of us are at Massey, half of us at Vic, half of us are in one flat, half of us are in the other flat. It can be tricky to find time to rehearse.” 

This struggle plagues all student bands, but it’s clear that Daisy Grae’s passion for performing and making music keeps them working hard to carry on doing what they love. As Will put it, “There’s the five of us and it’s almost like a little gang. It’s what you want, it shouldn’t feel like a job.”

The race to secure gigs can be intimidating for newcomers. Will recounted that when they first performed alongside other bands, they went in with the mindset of “we’re the best so we’re gonna outplay them.” Having been involved in the Wellington music scene for over three years now, Will said, “We’ve come to realise that, actually, you will get further if you take it as a team, because at the end of the day the music scene shouldn’t be a competitive environment.” The disproportionate ratio of artists to venues in Wellington, while frustrating, is part of what makes the music scene so unique. It has created a sense of comradery among independent artists and a space that emphasises “bands supporting bands”, Will said.  

The Pōneke music scene exemplifies that Aotearoa music is so much more than Six60 and Crowded House. For New Zealand music to represent its fresh and diverse sounds, we need to support independent artists like Daisy Grae. To embrace our local, student, and independent artists is to nurture our cultural identity. If you want to support small but passionate bands like Daisy Grae, Will said, “You’re just gonna have to come to a gig.”