The revival of a genre that never went away
Once considered niche and tucked away in dusty record stores or rural community halls, country music in New Zealand is enjoying something of a golden moment.
From chart-topping Kiwi artists to two dedicated music stations in the past 18 months, the genre is striking a heartfelt chord with more people than ever before.
Mark Rogers, host of Nashville Babylon on RNZ, grew up listening to country music, from Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash to Marty Robbins, and tells The Detail that it's all about the storytelling.
'As a kid, the songs and storytelling caught my imagination,' he says. 'The songs have no fat on them, they cut to the chase straight away, they are pretty simple, there's nothing too complicated about them, you know exactly where you are.
'And the classic country songs have something in them that will appeal to just about everyone. They hit home. They are easy to get and understand. People can identify with them.
'It's rare that they are talking about big flash cars or billion-dollar jewellery. It's the working man's music – that's been its appeal for many, many decades, and that will continue to ring true.'
Kiwis, it seems, are falling more in love with the genre. And over the past 18 months, this has prompted the launch of not one, but two dedicated country music radio stations in New Zealand.
First, broadcaster Mike Puru started Southern Cross Country, found on digital platforms.
Then this month, NZME launched iHeartCountry NZ, offered on the iHeartRadio app and selected FM frequencies around the country. There are no presenters, just pre-programmed country music.
Both stations showcase global legends and local voices.
Among those voices, one name stands out: Tami Neilson.
The Canadian-born, New Zealand-based powerhouse has been a trailblazer for years and has just won the inaugural Country Music Honour for Contribution to Country Music in Aotearoa, recognising her outstanding impact and unwavering dedication to the country music scene.
'What Tami is doing at the moment is astounding; she has been teaming up with Willie Nelson over in the States, which is a dream come true for her,' Rogers says.
'It's incredible and I'm super proud of what she is achieving…. I would like to think she will get on the (mainstream radio) playlists, because what she is doing is absolutely fantastic. The songs are great, and radio loves a good song, so there is no excuse not to play Tami.'
But she is competing for airtime with unlikely country singers, including Beyonce and Post Malone, who have swapped pop and rap, respectively, for country beats.
'This has just exploded, and I think it's a good thing,' Rogers says. 'Admittedly, I'm not a massive fan of some of it, but I'm a big fan of others.
'I don't think it's cheapened the genre at all; it's just music developing.'
And it's clear Kiwis want more of it, proving country music in New Zealand isn't just surviving. It's thriving.
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