MELODOWNZ

Nominated for:
NZ Music Commission Best Pacific Male Artist
Matai Watches Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist
NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video
Recorded Music NZ Te Pukaemi Toa O Te Moana Nui A Kiwa Best Pacific Music Album
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​​MELODOWNZ is proof that thought-provoking, lyrical hip-hop is alive and here to stay. The Māori/Samoan artist has become a local community champion proudly taking New Zealand rap to the world stage with co-signs from Bas, Dreamville, and Flying Lotus, and collabs from the likes of Denzel Curry, Bootsy Collins, and Maxo Kream, the latter who he supported on Kream’s 2022 Australian tour.
 
After years of anticipation, in 2022 MELODOWNZ unveiled his debut album, LONE WOLF, via Def Jam ANZ. ​The record is a tale of love, loss, and learning, rich with full circle synchronicity, duality, and spirituality that’s been a present theme throughout the Gemini rappers life.
 
Formed across Avondale home studios, remote writing camp sessions, and an LA recording trip, the multidimensional record features collaborations with Houston gangster rapper Maxo Kream, Florida heavyweight Denzel Curry, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter INK, singer-songwriter Bleu, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Ant Clemons (Kanye West, Beyonce), among illustrious producer credits from Bizness Boi and DJ Khalil.
 
Returning full circle to his Auckland community with collaborations from local legends Diggy Dupé, Troy Kingi, Bailey Wiley, the Avondale intermediate choir, and more, MELODOWNZ is ready to take Avondale to the world - and he’s bringing his community along with him. Much more than just a rapper, MELODOWNZ is building his own independent empire with community at the heart of every endeavour.
 
In 2020, he started an online talk show series called Kava Corner, where he shares space, chats, and drinks traditional Polynesian kava with special guests including John Campbell, Chloe Swarbrick, Scribe, and BENEE - in addition to releasing his own strain of kava ‘Stay Melo, Drink Kava’. Ingraining his Polynesian roots into all aspects of his art, he has also hand drew his own clothing line collection, including traditional lavalava, and shared a short film style documentary series, WOLVES OF AVONDALE, profiling significant community figures of his hometown in collaboration with renowned local photographer Tim D.
 
Taking out prestigious honours including a Pacific Music Award for Most Promising Artist and an Aotearoa Music Award receiving Best Pacific Music Video for ‘Ain’t The Same’, lifted from the acclaimed The Panthers TV series soundtrack, MELODOWNZ’s impact as a hometown hero is hard to deny. After playing mainstage summer festival sets this year at Northern Bass, Longline Classic, and Waitangi Day Festival, MELODOWNZ and his live band brought his LONE WOLF world to life with live shows at Wellington’s MEOW, Christchurch’s Flux, and a full circle homecoming Auckland show in the heart of the stomping ground where his journey began, at Avondale’s Hollywood theatre.