Ones to Watch: Spotlighting Wellington’s Freshest New Talent

Words by Zoё Mills (they/she)

Wellington’s arts scene is undeniably one of the best in the country; whether you’re into punk, pop, indie, or experimental jazz-funk-reggae-fusion, there's a band for you. I spoke to some of Wellington’s newest and most promising talents, just so you can say that you knew them before they were famous.

Danica Bryant

Fiery, unapologetic pop with a punky edge: That’s Danica Bryant in a nutshell. 

With her punchy lyricism and energetic sound-making, this singer-songwriter has been establishing herself as one to watch on the Welly music scene. Originally from Napier, now Wellington-based, Bryant has been writing music since she was a kid. “I started playing guitar when I was about eight and I was writing songs more than I was learning other people's songs—it came more naturally to me.” She quickly worked her way up in the Hawkes Bay music scene and, since moving to Wellington, has been working hard to build up her artistry. “I've had to start again […] Now I make pop rock music with a little bit of folk influence in there”, she said. 

Bryant’s production is bright and edgy: she's “a really big Britney Spears fan”, calling her “an influence on [...] production”. But it's Bryant’s lyrics that are truly a standout; whimsical, poetic lines pointing to her icons Alainis Morisette, Kate Bush, and Lorde. In Bryant’s favorite song she’s written—“Plains of Venus”—her musical essence is combined with lyrical melodies similar to those of Lorde. The song details the fictional story of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. 

“There's this idea enforced on women that any love is better than no love at all”, Bryant explains. “I wrote it about women deserving better but [...]never [being] taught that we do deserve better.” 

Now, with her sophomore EP in the works, Bryant is taking all the influence and inspiration she can from her peers for her new releases. “I've been really working on that pop drive and bringing on that influence, as well as a little bit of indie [...] [as well as] gaining influence from the other artists that I’m getting to know and collaborat[ing] with.” Bryant will be heading off on her first national tour this year, as well as releasing a new EP in August.

Instagram: @danica.bryant

Spotify: Danica Bryant

Floor Five

Is genre-defying dreamscape your type of sound? Check out Floor Five. Hailing from the hallowed halls of Te Puni Village, singer and rhythm guitarist Jackson met lead guitarist Drew after an impromptu jam-session in their hall of residence. The pair met up regularly after that and finished off the year by releasing two singles for their friends (and for a laugh). “We thought it’d be funny to put a song on Spotify, but we actually liked it!” Jackson describes the band’s sound as a mix of indie rock and pop—“but there's also a bit of funk, a bit of Jazz. We try to mix it up a lot and genre-bend.” 

Will and Thomas were recruited as drum and bass players later in the year, and Floor Five was brought to life. Their name comes from the floor of the halls of residence that Drew and Jackson met on—“We tried ‘Fifth Floor’ but it didn't quite roll off the tongue.” Jackson laughs. The group has an undeniable chill, cool persona—but they are incredibly skilled. Their musical skills are admirable and create a tight, clean sound.

“I really take inspiration from local artists,” Jackson explains. “Those are the people I listen to a lot—people from Wellington, people of Aotearoa. I love Marlin’s Dreaming, Doctor Reknaw […] all of us love these local artists […] there's so much amazing talent [here] and we all love it.” The band's sound is definitely reflective of their influences; melodic guitar riffs accompanied by Jackson’s crooning vocals create a dreamy atmosphere reminiscent of early Marlin’s Dreaming. 

So what’s Jackson’s favorite track the group’s released? “‘The Garden,’ which is like our leading E.P song,” he says. “It's the song that’s popped off the most in terms of audience and listeners loving it.” 

You can find Floor Five at Meow on 26 May, or check out their socials to see their next shows.

Instagram: @floorfive5

Spotify: Floor Five

Sure Boy

Are you into music like Stella Donnelly and The Beths, with hints of Courtney Barnett? Sure Boy is your next obsession. After meeting at uni back in 2020, the four-piece girl band have made themselves a staple in the Wellington music scene. Their undeniable chemistry and skilled instrumentation make the group a joy to watch live. Consisting of Beth, Simone, Freya, and Lily, Sure Boy makes infectious pop-rock accompanied by playful lyricism.

“Before we formed the band me and Beth wrote a few of the songs together,” guitarist Simone explains. “Now that we’re a bit more established, we tend to just jam and see what happens […] It's different for every song. Sometimes we just bring a song to practice, sometimes we just piss around and end up playing something cool.” 

The group’s first single, “Lemon Lady”, is a standout—a groovy track showcasing the strong vocals of their frontwoman. While it’s clear that the group has talent, the band agrees that being one of the only all-women groups on the scene can sometimes be a challenge: “It's kinda awesome to be finally filling a space that needed to be filled for so long. But also it does come with its challenges because it feels like you're competing […] It's this weird fine line that you're constantly walking”. 

The band has since been working their way up the ranks, recently as openers for The Beths. “Before that, I'd seen them live and I'd met them as a fan”, singer Beth explains. “It was nice to actually meet them again and have a decent conversation with them and be able to open for a band that we really love.”

The group’s favorite track to play live? “Her!” they all chime in agreement. “It’s quite easy to let go while playing the song,” bassist Lily says. The band has a new EP in the works this coming month. 

Instagram: @sureboyband

Spotify: Sure Boy