Kia ora and gather around the screen.

I’m so excited to introduce you to new and shiny New Zealand music videos every week in my new column for Stuff – and dig up a classic that will make you remember and hopefully smile.

With so much thought, work, creativity, preparation, time, energy – and money – that goes into making a music video, we should cherish them like works of art.

They are a time capsule of New Zealand music history.

Enjoy,

Charlotte

SWEET ORANGE – FEAR

REVIEW: Just at this minute, sweet orange are on tour across the United States. They’re in a van driving through cold blizzards between shows and will at some point end up in sunny Los Angeles, before moving to set up a base in the UK.

Their shows sell out – and it’s no surprise. Their fanbase in America has grown much faster than anywhere else in the world, including New Zealand. I have the impression that the world discovered them before us!

The quartet formed in Dunedin and has just released its third album, including this song FEAR. It’s cool (without being too cool) indie guitar music.

In the video, the group shows off their style, personalities, and acting skills by filming a fake TV show. Now I know what you mean, should musicians be actors? The Foo Fighters tried it out last month in their movie ‘Studio 666’…

And the effects in this video – do we call it CGI? Judge for yourself and enjoy the brilliant song.

Flashback to a New Zealand music video

Joel Little is New Zealand’s most successful music producer. He has worked with Lorde, Taylor Swift, Imagine Dragons, Shawn Mendes, Khalid, Broods and has won a Grammy Award, numerous APRA Silver Scroll and NZ Music Awards, and was even nominated for a Golden Globe. Phew.

His enormous rise to success in the world of pop music has enabled Joel and his wife Gemma to build and deliver a brand new world-class music space in Morningside, Auckland.

Big fan was built in a converted old cafe/apartment, and inside are several recording studios – all designed by Joel based on his studio preferences – for musicians to write, record and offer studio time free to future musicians.

Beneath the studios is a much-needed new music room, which seats over 100 people and will host regular open-mic nights.

The thing that strikes me about Big fan is that Joel and Gemma’s generosity will fund free studio time for unsigned artists, provide residency programs for writers and producers, and other programs to encourage others to gain experience in the music industry. If you are someone who wants to learn more about sound, lighting or event management, this is the perfect place to meet your collaborators.

On that note, let’s go back to where it all started for Joel Little, a video of him playing in one of his early bands. good night nurse.

Joel never believed he was the best guitarist or songwriter, but he showed up, worked hard, toured hard and he now wants to give the opportunities he had in New Zealand – and more.

ALDOUS HARDING – Fever

Aldous Harding spoke to me last week from his mother’s house in South Canterbury. It’s the calm before the storm for her. This week she is releasing her fourth album Warm Chris and is leaving soon for a highly anticipated world tour.

On her new album, she collaborated with John Parish for the third time, and her new band and multiple guests on the album are so interesting. They include Jason Williamson of Sleaford​ Mods.

His new album, released on March 25, has met all my expectations and will be a firm favorite – and an album I can’t wait to release on vinyl.

Fever is the standout track for me, and in the video, directed by Aldous herself and Ōtautahi director Martin Sagadin, we get a better look at her characters, both visually and sonically.

If you like this video, go back and watch the others she and Martin worked on together.

*Charlotte Ryan hosts Music 101 on RNZ National every Saturday from 1pm