Padraig Simpson (he/him)

A sit down with a couple of members of UnderWelly, the creative group of friends using each other’s creativity to get shit done. Rappers JustD (Donell Anae) and Shaebaby (Shae Simmonds).

Donell: I think UnderWelly is a way to create a platform so that all the boys can thrive in an environment where they get to do the things that they are good at. Too many of the boys get caught up in things that they have to do, like a 9-5 and shit like that. For me, it’s a way that we can put each other in a position to do what we are good at. Because everyone is good at something and has some kind of creative expression, and UnderWelly is the vessel for people to do it. It’s not just about the rapping.

Q2. Why do you guys do what you do?

Shae: Basically, why I do it is as a form of release, ya know, I try to treat the raps as a ‘dear diary’ kind of thing. It helps me keep a peace of mind.

Donell: There are certain kinds of experiences that I think would be a waste if they stay in my mind. Growing up liking music in New Zealand, I was listening to stuff that I couldn’t relate to, like gangster rap and stuff. So maybe to be the [inspiration] for younger islanders and Māori growing up. Make it so that they can look up to a musician who comes from where they come from, or just someone to relate to.

Q3. What were the influences for your most recent project?

(You Can’t Beat UnderWelly On A Good Day: Summer Pack)

Donell: There weren’t really any influences in terms of people inspiring us to do it, it was more so wanting to make a mark on the scene; it was just us getting sick of people not knowing who we are. So it was like this is it, we are here now. The influence was that we wanted to make an influence. I was just inspired by us putting our best foot forward and knowing that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Shae: The influence is also in the name of the tape too, which is summer, so that’s the vibes we are trying to bring through. With “SUMMERTIMESHINE being summer loving; “MESSAGE is party vibes, ruckus and gross; and then “HOT 4 U” is a slow burner, chilling, having a couply beers with the boys and all that.

Donell: And we are from Welly so it’s just a play on the corniest lie of all time.

Shae: The corniest.

Q4. What have you enjoyed most about this creative process?

Shae: I guess collaboration this time round with NOÉ, that was cool bringing an old mate back in to help get some RnB vibes going. I’d say that everything was kinda done on the fly in terms of how all the songs were made. “SUMMERTIMESHINE” was actually made like two years ago, the same as “HOT 4 U” and “MESSAGE” were made in 2019 the day before I left for America. I don’t know, it all kinda came together like that. Without realising it we created a certain energy that could fit the mould of summer.

On the visual side it was fun learning how to use the green screen and all that. This was definitely the funnest video to date, it was basically a party. Big shout out to Oscar, Sleeping Village for that one.

Donell: I guess it’s simple as, just being in the studio with the boys. Shae and I especially, anytime we are in the studio it’s just 90% jokes and laughing and like the best music has always come. So like he said, heaps of this stuff we had done a while ago. Thinking back to those sessions, especially “SUMMERTIMESHINE”, because that was so early on for me when Shae told me to jump on board and start taking this shit seriously. At the time it was only the third or fourth verse that I had written and it hasn’t changed. I wrote it then played it back to the boys to get their reaction, then Shae and Ru are looking at me like “Yo! What the fuck! That shit is Crazy!” So that part of the process was really cool to be like, ‘yo maybe I can really do this’.

Me and this guy, we have never been in an actual studio. Everything we have done has been in a spare room and for now that’s kinda how I like it, nothing too serious, just jokes and honesty. Because we have been mates for so long, if something is off we can be straight up.

Q5. Why do you feel this platform is important?

Donell: In terms of importance, I kind of alluded to it earlier. Being someone who’s relatable for people in this country. I feel like we don’t try too hard to be something that we are not, we aren’t lying about shit. In that sense it’s quite a Kiwi thing to do, take the piss out of yourself and your mates, and not take it all too seriously. For young people coming up it’s important to see that we are just being ourselves. It’s quite important in that sense. Not even just for music but in general, to just be like, “yo this is me”. I want to be able to go from being confident and then on the next verse breaking down about some emotional grief, it’s all honest. Social media is quite transparent, people can just see through things, so it’s trying to be as open and vulnerable and show that it’s all good. I’ve got younger siblings and they have to grow up in the world that we live in today, which can be pretty judgemental.

Q6. What do you have in the pipeline at the moment?

Donell: Well the You Can’t Beat UnderWelly On A Good Day tape is part of a series that will be released to tie in with the seasons. Autumn is probably about a month away. We are currently in the process of finishing the recording and writing of that. Then Winter and Spring to round out the year. That’s the consistent releases for Donbizzy—Shae and I, then throwing out singles in-between. I have some stuff that I have been working on for over a year; an EP with Thatpaledude (Ben Gregory) who couldn’t be here today because he’s too dusty.

Shae: Got a couple singles lined up, that’s probably how I will release them. Just scatter them here and there in between the UnderWelly tapes. That’s about it, just keep the music rolling out.

Q7. Who is your dream kiwi colab?

Donell: I’m gonna answer this both musically and visually. Musically, put me on a song with Lorde—if you [Lorde] somehow have a cousin that goes to Vic and they show you this, send me the stems for “Tennis Courts” me and you, game, set, match. Then visually, ridiculous but [...] imagine being a rapper that gets a video directed by Taika. If I could get a video by Taika then I think we would be on. No other artist in NZ steal that. Lorde, Taika, let me know.

Shae: Seriously would be Flight of the Conchords, on that Taika note. I’d love to do some shit like a “Business Time” remix or something.

Donell: “The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)”

Shae: Yeah bro, Flight of the Conchords would be my dream colab because that was my favourite shit growing up. Visually, White Label. Shout out to Leo because he thinks I’m ducking him.

UnderWelly is here to make a mark