This Saturday we welcome new NZ music collective Small Fortunes to Neck of the Woods. To properly introduce them to you we thought we would catch up with Bryan Anderson, one of the many artists behind this new creative label, to ask him exactly what Small Fortunes is all about.
Tell us a bit about your new collective Small Fortunes.
Small Fortunes is a forward thinking and creative label, based out of Auckland. Predominately promoting and managing Hiphop based recording artists. A combination of talents, and a support network for our artists. We think of it like the principle of Captain Planet.
What do you hope to bring to the NZ music scene with Small Fortunes, that we are currently lacking?
We bring a diverse range of sounds, that can work together or separately on cohesive sounding releases. We have three of the best producer / rappers in the country. And a fresh outlook on music in NZ. It's nice to see artists coming together over a genuine love for music and and not for what they are going to gain out of the situation. We all care about the future of the team as much as our own.
What do you think is the most exciting thing about NZ music right now?
The eclectic mix of genres and artists, labels and promoting networks gaining traction both here and overseas.
Kiwi Hiphop getting noticed, our EDM acts touring and making HUGE waves online, and NZ reggae acts headlining overseas festivals. I think it's a pretty special time for NZ music right now.
It seems like a lot of musicians in NZ are part of one or many music collectives: YGB, Omni, Grow Room, Pastel, Swidt, Inky waves etc. Do you think being part of a collective is crucial for NZ artists?
I don't think it crucial, but I think the music game can be lonely out there by yourself. Having a support network and like-minded individuals to bounce off and work within such a creative field is always a good thing in our books.
Your line up so far is all male, do you have plans to add some female musicians to Small Fortunes?
Definitely, this is a top priority of ours. Searching for the right female singer to join our roster is proving a hard task, there is a huge lack of independent female musicians especially in Hiphop, and we would love more and more women to come to the forefront of New Zealand music.
Looking ahead - What can we expect from Small fortunes?
A collaborative project from the whole team, as well as solo projects from various members of the group will be coming out in the first half of 2017. Plenty of shows, curating the best local acts, and the most talented musicians and artists in Auckland and New Zealand getting the spotlight they deserve.
Come along this Saturday to see Small Fortunes for yourself.
Tickets are available at Under The Radar, and door sales will be available too.