MC Tiki Taane (left), Charlotte Simmons (middle), P Diggs of Shapeshifter (right). Captured by Chelone Wolf

Did you know that in 2018, the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern gifted a D&B CD by Shapeshifter to Prince Harry?! I wanted to know why Kiwis are so mad for D&B, so I caught up raver, promoter and co-founder of True Romance D&B Charlotte Simmons (London expat born and raised in NZ) to get her personal opinion and experience.

Hey Charlotte! Why do you think D&B is so popular in New Zealand?

Hey V! I think it’s because art and culture is really highly regarded in New Zealand. There is an insane output of music coming out of such a small country. We’re very beat driven in NZ. Even more so with the influence of Māori and Pacific Island culture. Reggae, Dub and Hip Hop music were already very popular when D&B came around. Rock and Metal is also popular too. Also, we love to party! That’s the vibe - it suits the culture in New Zealand.

So the Māoris and the Pacific Islanders are the trendsetters! When I was doing research about it, there were some mad examples about how popular D&B is in NZ...

Haha yeah, even the prime minister used to be a DJ - she even used D&B on her opening election campaign!

“I can remember when Shapeshifter got signed to Hospital Records - It was 6 o'clock news”.

The All Blacks will go out to the pitch to D&B. All the festival headliners are always D&B too.

What would you say makes the D&B culture unique in New Zealand?

I think it's more together... it's also definitely more mainstream then underground in NZ.

“even your grandma’s gonna know what drum and bass is!”

When you’re at a party, the crowd’s super up for it. Everyone’s so involved, we really know how to tear it up! A lot of international D&B artists say it's their favourite place to perform. And because we’re so far away, we’re so appreciative! People will pay a lot of money just to see one international DJ on a lineup.

Locals work really hard too. We like our own stuff - New Zealand is very supportive of its own artists. The Prime Minister’s always going on about it...she was even quoted calling herself a D&B head! She put crazy amounts of money into the arts after COVID.

A government that prioritises the arts? That’s unusual!

Yeah, it’s always been pretty encouraged by the government.

“Now New Zealand is out of lockdown, they’re back putting on raves with NZ artists only as the border is closed”.

Last week The Upbeats were playing to a sold out crowd of 4000! The Summer festival lineups are all being released at the moment and they are doing just as well. but now it's gonna be just NZ artists on the lineups until the borders open up (although Alix Perez is playing at Northern Bass this new years, he's marrying a kiwi and moving to NZ!) The scene in NZ is very healthy at the moment.

Do you think there's a specific New Zealand D&B sound?

Yeah. The sound is quite hard, a bit more techy and Neurofunk, and then there’s that electronic commercial sound. Lots of tear out! I guess it was like in 98 or 99 when D&B and that style was really taking off properly here. Then you had Concord Dawn & Shapeshifter blowing up! Then Guys like The Upbeats, State of Mind, Trei & Tokyo Prose coming out of New Zealand which really put NZ on the D&B world map!

But it’s always changing.There are new guys Lee Mvtthews doing big things & MC Tali and her husband Chiccorelli are bringing more of the liquid soulful sound.

Also, there’s the sound of our culture that we bring into it: the pacific sound. Especially our dub and reggae bring in elements of the pacific sound.

“Native instruments are often used like the Pūtātara which is this really cool shell, trumpet kind of instrument!”

Definitely lots of saxophones, trumpets, trombones etc too, they’re huge. And we have lots of amazing vocalists which are always collaborating on someones track.

Who do you think brought D&B over to New Zealand?

Presha did a lot and Need for Mirrors. Tali does a great blog called Dark Days High Nights. It tells the stories of them throwing parties having DJS like Kemistry and Storm over, bringing the whole scene to NZ. There will be loads of names I’m missing I'm sure, but I don't know all the history!

What about your parties, I know you got Māori legend mc Tiki Taane to headline here in London?

Yeah! I got him for that. And Vocalist Blake from New Zealand made an appearance too. I also got NZ's Tali and Emma G doing their Soulside Sessions for another party. I’ve always wanted to try and bring NZ artists if I can into my True Romance. The flyer I love, it's got the Māori pattern with the ferns - Skyz nailed it. My whole heart went into that.

It really shows. I love the way you’ve brought NZ to London!

Yeah, that's why I got Digital to play too! He’s a proper adopted Kiwi, he’s got lots of stories about it. Digital goes back and forth to New Zealand all the time.

In the late 90's early 2000s, Tiki was in a band called Salmonella Dub. It's my favourite music ever. Digital worked with them and Concord Dawn in the early 2000's to further develop their European market. So tour management, marketing, distribution, tour support etc.

Steve Digital, Charlotte, Gemma Whittaker, Tiki Taane, Emma G (left to right)

To finish off, what’s your favourite thing about the scene in NZ and why?

The unity: how everyone collaborates together here. Everyone’s in it together. It’s probably because we're much smaller. New Zealand has always been like that. We're a proud nation. It's very much one nation.

Unlike the UK which is so divided...even in underground music!

Our culture is ingrained into us. A lot of Māori words are used in everyday life, now it will be compulsory to learn New Zealand history at school which is great. All our government documents, signs etc have Māori translation too.

So respectful... unlike other countries. I didn't know that either. Big up yourself Charlotte and big up New Zealand!

Big love to all my D&B Whanau in Aotearoa!

Is D&B the most popular electronic music in New Zealand?