Australian-born, Canadian-based singer and songwriter Mikhail Laxton has released his new single, ‘I Like The Way’ - a soulful, laid back love song, which has already been causing something of a stir on TikTok in Aotearoa. Since making the move from Australia to Ottawa, the Aboriginal artist has been making a name for himself in Canada’s Americana scene. But when he recently posted a snippet of ‘I Like the Way’ on TikTok, teasing its upcoming release, he was pleasantly surprised to find it resonating with a new fanbase - New Zealanders. “It’s been really nice to see all the love from Aotearoa on just a little snippet of the track,” says Mikhail. “I’ve been at music for a while now and I’m really happy I’ve finally been able to create something that seems to have struck such a chord with people and specifically with Kiwis as I have a deep love for you all. “Being an Australian and an Indigenous man myself (Kuku Yalanji - Mossman, QLD) there’s already a connection there and I want to give a special shoutout to all the Māori and Pacific Island community for showing so much love. I’ve been invited fishing, camping and a lot of offers for a boil up and fry bread - so I’m keen as anything to come down for a visit. Honestly, if I had to put a word to what it feels like… it feels like home.”

With their previous single ‘Problem’ debuting at #4 on the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles Chart and their 4-date NZ tour selling-out, NO CIGAR return with a brand new single; the gritty, addictive track ‘Best Behaviour’. Laced with groove and anthemic in nature, the track explores the difficult task of confronting reality when it comes to meeting your significant other's parents. Reliable in its anxiety, lead vocalist Willy Ferrier reckons the best time to listen to ‘Best Behaviour’ is “on the way to their house”. “Meeting the parents will always be a tense moment, laced with trepidation,” says Ferrier. “To be on one's best behaviour is the expectation. To be nervous is understandable. To be perfect is unlikely.” ‘Best Behaviour’ is the third single to come from the band's upcoming album; previously releasing their indie-rock anthem ‘ Problem ’. This single debuted at #4 on the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles Chart, was featured by Rolling Stone AU / NZ, and received airplay from Radio Hauraki, RNZ, Bayrock and multiple stations on the SRN. Continuing to ride high in 2025, NO CIGAR sold-out their recent 4-date tour which took in Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch. Taking in a string of dates in May through the UK and Europe, the first of these shows in London has already sold out - prompting an upgrade to a bigger venue!

Pointer Recordings is thrilled to release the newest R&B rap single from Jamaica Moana called 'TUGGAWAR'. The Sydney-based artist, rapper, creative director and songwriter of Māori (Ngāpuhi/Tainui) and Samoan descent; is entering a new era and 'TUGGAWAR' is the unapologetic, blistering rap track that shifts it into gear. Produced by Melbourne-based producer, MC, and composer POOKIE, this single is a war cry for self-belief. "I took a bar from here, a flow from there, an adlib from this and a character from that. I wanted this to be so crazy, a flow switch up almost every 4 or 8 bars. I knew I had to show my range somehow so I would rap low to high, to sounding sexy to sounding disgusted. It was all refreshing," said Jamaica on TUGGAWAR . "The hero line “Challenge me and i’ll pull it in - Tuggawar” is all about try me and I’ll win. Believe in yourself and you can do it. This is Missy Elliot, 50 Cent and Khia, having dinner with Jamaica and POOKIE. The meal for the evening is ' TUGGAWAR '." Fresh off a headline spot at Sissy Ball , Jamaica has a series of exciting appearances on the horizon, including a special guest spot in ethereal hip-hop artist DEVAURA's April launch show in Sydney’s Newtown, and inclusion in the next season of Sydney's Phoenix Central Park in May. Jamaica Moana currently works on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation and is spiritually entwined with Hokianga and Waikato in the motherland of Aotearoa . She balances her professional career as a multidisciplinary artist whilst being a leader and resident commentator of the Australian ballroom community and founder of The West Ball . She has modelled for multiple Australian Fashion Week shows including Erik Yvon, Jordan Gogos, Nicol + Ford, and has also performed at FBi Radio SMAC Fest, Kooky, Kira Puru’s Club Crush and supported Cakes Da Killa, Junglepussy, and Ngaiire.

LA-based, NZ artist Lisa Crawley has released the breathtakingly poignant new single and video, ‘ What You Can Do ’. This is the first track to be released off her upcoming EP set for release in April this year. Written from personal experience and dedicated to the world’s people pleasers, ‘ What You Can Do ’ acts as a gentle reminder that we as humans are more than our output. Produced, mixed and mastered by John Spiker (Tenacious D), the single has been released with an accompanying video which was directed, filmed and edited by William Cook . “The video was filmed out in the desert at Joshua Tree with Will Cook , from afternoon to the morning,” says Lisa . Tying in perfectly with the song’s message, Lisa explained that her car broke down on the freeway on the way back to LA due to having no oil in it - despite being told it was fine. “That was quite fitting, for a song that's about running out of gas in the tank.”

Aotearoa’s Kiwi Pacific artist Lou'ana is poised for a stunning 2025, releasing her first new music of the year in the form of the hypnotic, evocative single and video ‘My World’. Incorporating Lou’ana’s signature essence of liberation and empowerment, ‘My World’ invites her audience to embrace their wildest dreams with her smooth, jazz-trained vocals paired with a primal drum motif to create an irresistibly dance-inducing slice of nu-disco pop. Directed by Katya Brook, the video visually showcases the essence of the song in grounded yet playful; feeling sensual, glittery, fun, glamorous, and earthy all at once. “For me, creating it was an opportunity to explore different facets of myself,” reflects Lou’ana. “I hope it inspires others to do the same - whatever that looks like for them.”

Tāmaki Makaurau-based indie folkstress Greta O’Leary has shared her hypnotic ode to longing and surrender, dark and light - with new single ‘ Prelude’ . Along with the single is a gritty, lo-fi, and raw self-directed music video, created alongside Adam Rohe (DOP). Further capturing the intimate, candid, and compelling nature of ‘Prelude’, the stunning new video was filmed through the hand-cut rail tunnels of Taranaki, a historic theatre, and contains clips from western Te Ika-a-Māui / the North Island.

Dunedin indie rockers L. Hotel are bringing the heat to this New Zealand summer, with their high-energy, pop-punk influenced new single and video ‘ Dead Ends .’ “The B-roll of the music video is a lot of dropped rugby balls, poorly coordinated scrums and bad tackles, but it was a LOT of fun,” they explain. “Our bassist Dave plays the role of the disappointed coach who hates his job, and there was an excellent five minute section where (without direction) Dave rattled off excuse after excuse of why the team was playing so poorly. Each time the camera panned around everyone else used it as an opportunity to laugh.” “That being said, the video captures the cheeky, happy-go-lucky, fun nature that L. Hotel has always been about. It's a song and video with a serious message (be comfortable in yourself/you don't have to live up to the expectations that others put on you), but we still had an incredible amount of fun making it.”

Spacey Jane premieres their latest single, ‘ How to Kill Houseplants ’ , whose lineage traces back to the power-pop balladry of 80s Aussie bands Icehouse and INXS.  The heartbreaking track sees frontman Caleb Harper confront his inability to repair a relationship as he battles the temptation to walk away. “I feel awful and I want to save this thing and I don't know how to do it,” Harper admits, adding wryly of the houseplant-relationship metaphor, “I should know how to do this by now, but I don't: I've killed 35 creeping ivies.”

Quickly ascending Māori artist, songwriter and producer Aubrie Mitchell releases her latest single, the witty and retrospective track ‘ Just So Lame ’. A lush synth bass is paired with sparse, percussive production; the artists’ signature stacked vocals creating a lightness in the chorus for moments of depth and juxtaposition. Aubrie ’s songwriting capabilities are on full display, as she explores post-breakup feelings and offers a unique perspective into the mind of someone who feels they have moved on “and can now see where the problems were in the relationship.”

Aotearoa’s hottest alt-pop duo Foley have just revealed their phenomenal second album, THAT’S LIFE, BABY! , along with the addictively carefree focus single and video ‘ That’s Life, Baby! ’. The lead single and title track, ‘ That’s Life, Baby! ’ ties together the carefree, driving with the top down vibe of the album. The video, directed by Tom Grut and also out today, matches this energy and visually depicts the overarching feeling of THAT’S LIFE, BABY! .

New Zealand-born, Los Angeles-based artist Alisa Xayalith has announced SLOW CRUSH, her debut solo full-length album due April 4, 2025, via Nettwerk. To celebrate the announcement, she gives us another glimpse into her diary with the new single, ‘What The Hell Do We Do Now?’ Co-written with Jacob Munk (Wallice, Ekkstacy), the track is accompanied by a music video directed by Brandon Black. On the spry, ‘What The Hell Do We Do Now?,’ Xayalith explores the tension of reaching an impasse in a relationship, where all you can do is let events unfold. It’s a moment where time seems to freeze, everything lingers in a liminal state, and your mind loops around a single, unresolved question. True to its premise, the song offers no resolution or answers, leaving the lingering question: What the hell do we do now?