Six60
Sun-soaked New Zealand anthems that blend soulful pop hooks with a laid-back reggae pulse. High-energy stadium rock for beach days and backyard gatherings.
Sun-soaked New Zealand anthems that blend soulful pop hooks with a laid-back reggae pulse. High-energy stadium rock for beach days and backyard gatherings.
Six60 sounds like the quintessential New Zealand summer. It is a warm, organic blend of soulful vocals, crisp guitar skanks, and a rhythm section that feels rooted in the earth. Their music carries the salt-air breeze of the Pacific, mixing the easy-going nature of roots reggae with the undeniable polish and scale of modern stadium pop. It is music designed for collective experience, where every chorus feels like an invitation to sing along.
What makes them distinctive is their ability to translate the 'Kiwi' identity into a global pop language. They bridge the gap between the DIY student flat culture of Dunedin and the massive, polished production of international charts. By weaving elements of Te Reo Māori and traditional roots influences into high-fidelity pop structures, they create a sound that is both deeply local and massively accessible, characterized by Matiu Walters' rich, soulful delivery and the band's tight, rhythmic interplay.
Start with their self-titled 2011 debut to understand the foundation of their sound, particularly the anthem 'Don't Forget Your Roots.' From there, move to 'Castle St' to hear how they have matured into a world-class pop outfit while maintaining the camaraderie and organic warmth that defined their early days in a university flat.
Six60 is a New Zealand pop rock band formed in Dunedin, Otago in 2008. The band consists of Matiu Walters (lead vocals, guitar), Ji Fraser (lead guitar), Chris Mac (drums, bass guitar), and Marlon Gerbes (guitar, bass guitar, synthesiser). Their self-titled debut album was released on 10 October 2011 on their own label Massive Entertainment. The album was produced and mixed by Tiki Taane and debuted at number one in the New Zealand charts and was certified gold within its first week of release. Their first two singles "Rise Up 2.0" and "Don't Forget Your Roots" reached number one and number two respectively on the RIANZ singles chart and were both certified double and triple platinum. In 2018 the band won five Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and were the most streamed artist by New Zealanders on Spotify. On 23 February 2019, Six60 became the first New Zealand band to play a sold-out concert at the Western Springs Stadium, to a crowd of 50,000 fans. On 24 April 2021, Six60 played the first concert at Auckland's Eden Park Stadium, to a crowd of 50,000 fans. It was the closing of the Six60 Saturdays country-wide tour and the largest concert of 2021. In February 2024, founding member Eli Paewai left the band, citing his "personal journey with music is coming to an end".
Shares uplifting, soulful, joyful (moods); studio polished, analog warmth, hand played (production style)
Shares reggae fusion, pop rock (subgenres); studio polished, hand played (production style)
Shares studio polished, hand played, analog warmth (production style); harmonized, belting, gentle (vocal style)
Shares reggae fusion, roots reggae, pop rock (subgenres); studio polished, analog warmth, hand played (production style)
Shares studio polished, analog warmth, hand played (production style); harmonized, gentle (vocal style)
Shares studio polished, analog warmth, hand played (production style); confident, joyful, nostalgic (moods)
Shares studio polished, hand played, analog warmth (production style); electric guitar, drums, bass (instrumentation)
Shares electric guitar, bass, drums (instrumentation); summer, bonfire, festival (atmosphere)
Shares summer, bonfire, festival (atmosphere); studio polished, analog warmth, hand played (production style)
Shares reggae fusion, pop rock (subgenres); joyful, nostalgic, confident (moods)
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