Nesian Mystik

Articles

Article from NZ Girl Magazine

Those loveable, cheeky boys are back with their second offering, Freshmen.

We talk to half of Nesian Mystik; David, Donald and Awa.

Your first record, Polysaturated, was actually the first hip hop record I ever bought. Do you think you get an audience that hadn’t been exposed to your style of music before?

Awa: First of all, great investment in music especially with Nesian Mystik! Secondly, I think our music appeals to a broad spectrum of people so we’re just lucky that our music can do that.

Your music definitely has that New Zealand/Pacific flavour, but at the same time an international sound comes through. Is that something you consciously worked at putting across?

Awa: Well, I don’t think the first one was that international sounding.
Donald: I think it was more worldly sounding!
Awa: We didn’t know what to expect with the first album. We weren’t writing it for any particular reason other than just to write an album.

New Zealand music has changed dramatically over the past 5-10 years. What do you think initiated the changed and how do you see the industry growing?

Donald: It’s great, it’s about time. I remember growing up and whenever I heard NZ music on the radio I’d flip the channel, I didn’t want to hear it.
Awa: I didn’t even know there was NZ music.
David: I concur!
Donald: Yeah, Che was probably the first brown face I saw on TV and I really dug it. I think NZ music’s in a great place at the moment.
Awa: Thanks to the media for taking action and being proactive about supporting NZ music and NZ on Air for giving us funding!
Donald: And the NZ people in general for buying it.

Your bio talks of you having a strong intention to motivate NZ youth. Is it a double-edged sword to be perceived as a role model?

Awa: We just try and be ourselves and if people can relate to the music then that’s awesome. But with Maori and Pacific Islanders, typically what happens is when you’re in a position of profile you’re obligated to have these responsibilities. But in saying that, we’re young, we make mistakes we know we’re not perfect so if people can relate to the music and that affects them in a positive way then
we’re happy.

As a group, what’s been you’re greatest achievement so far?

David: One of them would be finishing the second album.
Awa: I concur!
Donald: I third that!
Awa: Still enjoying what we do, loving what we do and have it still be cool.
Donald: Having a billboard down the road! That is an achievement!

You’ve conveyed a more mature sound on the second record. Did you worry about alienating your existing fan base with the new sound you’re bringing forward?

Awa: No, because the pressure was from us, the expectation was from us. We wanted to write an album we loved.
Donald: We have to enjoy our music, that’s the main thing.
Awa: I think our existing fans will love this anyway.
Donald: It’s been three years, everybody’s grown, we’ve grown as people.
Awa: And it’s a great album, musically it’s a great album. We’re a lot better at what we do these days, we’re still learning heaps too.
David: We got our own studio so we had more
time to make mistakes, that’s a huge step.

What drives you, as a group?

Awa: Family, life, success, money, wanting to do better, a love for music and a lifestyle we’d like to lead in the future. And our fans.
David: People wearing Nesian Mystik t-shirts.
Awa: Yeah, and people going to our website where you can buy t-shirts. When I see people wearing those t-shirts, man that just drives me even more.

Is there anyone specific in the NZ music industry that you look up to?

Awa: Too many. There are so many. Che Fu, the old schoolers like Dave Dobbyn. The people at Universal.

Any international plans for the record?

Donald: That is the plan for this record. Freshmen tours in June. That’s a national tour.
Awa: And then we’re off to the islands, to perform for them. Then we’re off to Aussie.
Donald: We’re trying to crack Aussie, hopefully. But anywhere else that would take us, that would be fine. We’re not fussy.
Awa: We’re like the SPCA, you just come pick us up and we’ll go home with you!
David: Whoever accepts us, we’ll be there.

Anna Stevens