Famous New Zealander Musicians

Lorde is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known for contributing to the soundtrack of the popular American sci-fi adventure film The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. Her song Yellow Flicker Beat was released as the lead single from the film's successful soundtrack. In 2013 and 2014, she was featured in Time magazine's most influential teenagers list.

Benee is a New Zealand singer-songwriter who achieved international recognition after the release of her 2019 single Supalonely, which went viral on TikTok. In 2019 and 2020, she won almost all the major awards at the New Zealand Music Awards, becoming a national celebrity at the age of 20.

Crowded House member Neil Finn is all set to perform in a radio series for his lockdown-hit fans on his Mixlr broadcast Fangradio. The New Zealand singer is also associated with Fleetwood Mac and was previously part of Split Enz. He also formed the project Pajama Club with his wife.

Bret McKenzie is a New Zealand actor, comedian, musician, and producer. Along with Jemaine Clement, he is one-half of the musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. He is a former member of the musical group The Black Seeds. As an actor, he appeared in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. 

Brooke Fraser is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known for her 2010 single, Something in the Water. Over the course of her career, Fraser has won several awards, including a Grammy for her song What a Beautiful Name. She has also won many New Zealand Music Awards. Also a philanthropist, Fraser was part of the 2012 charity song, Feel Inside.

Tim Finn is a New Zealand musician and singer. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band Split Enz, which achieved popularity during the 1970s and 1980s. Over the course of his illustrious career, Tim Finn has won several prestigious awards, such as the RIANZ Awards, Countdown Australian Music Awards, and Helpmann Award.

Joel Little is a New Zealand musician, songwriter, and record producer. He has written songs for popular artistes like Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes, Lorde, and Ellie Goulding among others. In 2014, he received the Grammy Award under the Song of the Year category alongside Lorde for their song Royals. Little has also won APRA Awards and ASCAP Pop Music Awards.

Willy Moon is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. He is best known for his song Yeah Yeah from the album Here's Willy Moon. The song peaked at number 26 on the UK Singles Chart, while the album peaked at number three on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.

Alannah Currie is a New Zealand musician and activist. She is best known for her association with the now-defunct British pop band, Thompson Twins. She is also credited with forming other famous bands like The Unfuckables and Babble. Alannah Currie also owns a London-based studio named Doyce Street Studios Projects. 

Ladyhawke is a New Zealand multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. She is best known for her self-titled debut studio album, which earned her a couple of New Zealand Music Awards and an ARIA Music Award. Ladyhawke is also well-known for her successful collaborations with other popular artistes like Pnau and Broods.

Bic Runga is a New Zealand multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. An exponent of pop music, Runga is best known for her song Sway, which achieved immense popularity in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. The recipient of many New Zealand Music Awards, Bic Runga was made an inductee of the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

Graeme Revell is a New Zealand composer and musician who achieved popularity in the 1980s when he served as the leader of the Australian industrial music group, SPK. Graeme Revell has been focusing on his career as a film score composer since the 1990s. He has worked on popular films like Street Fighter, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Sin City.

Gin Wigmore is a New Zealand singer-songwriter best known for her raspy and high pitched voice. Over the course of her career, Gin Wigmore has received several New Zealand Music Awards and a couple of nominations for the prestigious MTV Europe Music Awards. 

Jenny Morris is a New Zealand-Australian singer-songwriter who achieved popularity during the 1980s. She is the recipient of two ARIA Music Awards and an Aotearoa Music Award. She became an Australian citizen in 2003 and was honored with the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2010. In 2018, Jenny Morris was inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame.

Jawsh 685 is a New Zealand music producer and beat maker. He achieved popularity in 2020 when he collaborated with Jason Derulo to release a siren jam single titled Savage Love. The song was popularized by BTS, which released a remix version. Savage Love earned him nominations at the 2020 Melon Music Awards and 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Margaret Urlich is a New Zealand musician best known for her debut album Safety in Numbers, which earned her an ARIA Music Award in 1991. One of the most successful recording artists from New Zealand, Margaret Urlich was made an inductee of the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2021 as part of the band, When the Cats Away.

Dave Dobbyn is a New Zealand singer–songwriter, musician, and record producer. One of the most celebrated musicians of his generation, Dobbyn has received many RIANZ Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, which was awarded to him at the 2001 New Zealand Music Awards. Dave Dobbyn has also been twice inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.   

Liam Finn is a New Zealand songwriter and musician. He is best known for his third studio album The Nihilist, which broke into the top 10 of the Official New Zealand Music Chart and Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. Apart from his solo career, Finn is also known for his collaboration with other artistes like Eddie Vedder and The Black Keys.

Phil Fuemana was a New Zealand musician best remembered for his work that established the Urban Pasifika sound in South Auckland. Hence, he is often referred to as the Godfather of South Auckland. Phil Fuemana is also remembered for co-creating the band Otara Millionaire's Club (OMC), which achieved worldwide fame in 1995 after the release of its single, How Bizarre.   

Tami Neilson is a singer-songwriter who has won multiple New Zealand Music Awards, including two consecutive awards in 2009 and 2010. Her 2014 album Dynamite was included in The Guardian's top ten country albums of the year list, while her 2015 album Don't Be Afraid peaked at number one on the New Zealand Music Charts.

Anika Moa is a New Zealand television presenter and recording artist. She is best known for her debut album Thinking Room, which peaked at number one on the Official New Zealand Music Chart and earned her the Top Female Vocalist award at the 2002 New Zealand Music Awards. Anika Moa's life and career have inspired two documentaries by Justin Pemberton.

Hollie Smith is a singer-songwriter whose albums, Long Player, Water or Gold, Humour and the Misfortune of Others, and Coming In From The Dark, peaked at number one on the Official New Zealand Music Chart, making her one of the most popular female New Zealand musical artistes of the 21st century. Smith has also received several New Zealand Music Awards.

Jiaxin Cheng is a Chinese-born cellist best known for her role as the main cello of the famous Auckland Chamber Orchestra in New Zealand. She has been featured regularly in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as well as the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. Jiaxin Cheng is also credited with co-founding the Aroha String Quartet.

Boh Runga is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is best known for her association with the popular rock band Stellar where she performed as a guitarist and lead singer. Boh Runga is also known for her philanthropic efforts; in 2014, she contributed to a charity single titled Song for Everyone.

Jordan Luck is a Canadian-born New Zealand singer and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead singer of the popular rock band, The Exponents. After the disbandment of The Exponents, Jordan Luck went on to form his own eponymous band. In 2007, he became the first person to be inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Che Fu is a New Zealand R&B, hip hop, and reggae artist, producer, and songwriter. Widely regarded as a pioneer of Pasifika music and Hip hop in New Zealand, Fu is also credited with co-founding the popular funk rock music group, Supergroove. In 2014, Fu's contribution to music was honored at the Pacific Music Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Kings is a New Zealand singer, songwriter, and rapper. He is best known for his hit single Don't Worry Bout' It which peaked at number five on the Official New Zealand Music Chart. The song also spent 33 successive weeks at the top of the New Zealand Singles Chart, surpassing the record previously held by Lorde.

Lili Kraus was a Hungarian-born New Zealand pianist who achieved international recognition after collaborating with the popular violinist Szymon Goldberg. She then toured South Africa, Australia, Europe, and Japan in the 1930s. Lili Kraus settled in New Zealand after World War II and spent many years playing, performing, and teaching before moving to the USA where she died in 1986.

Annie Crummer is a New Zealand singer and songwriter who won the Best Female Artist award at the 1993 New Zealand Music Awards. In 2011, Crummer was honored at the Pacific Music Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to music. In December 2021, Annie Crummer was made an inductee of the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

Douglas Lilburn was a New Zealand composer whose symphonies and other major works have been recorded and popularized by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Douglas Lilburn was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Georg Tintner was an Austrian conductor and composer who performed primarily in New Zealand, Canada, and Australia. He is best remembered for pioneering televised opera in Australia. Georg Tintner is also known as the father of Hephzibah Tintner, who went on to become a dancer.

John Psathas is a New Zealand composer whose works have been performed and popularized by well-known artistes like Evelyn Glennie, Michael Brecker, Michael Houstoun, and Joshua Redman. One of New Zealand's best known composers, John Psathas has received several prestigious awards, including New Zealand Music Awards.

Mahara McKay is a former model, music producer, and DJ. She first gained recognition in 2000 when she was crowned Miss Switzerland. McKay gave up her modeling career to focus on Yoga and other healing practices. Today, Mahara McKay travels the world teaching at Yoga and Tantra festivals.