Meet the NZ Producers Making Hits From Their Bedrooms

Kiwi artists are increasingly scoring musical placements with major names like Rihanna, 21 Savage, Rich the Kid, Young Thug and Soulection. We spoke to a bunch of our local bedroom producers who say they’re starting to realise that even if you’re young, Māori and making beats in your grandmother’s garage in Tauranga, there’s no telling where a solid work ethic and major passion for music might take you.

After breaking his leg for the third time skating, LMC moved to Auckland from Nelson in pursuit of a safer passion. It was the trap music in skating culture that started him off beat making. But when LMC was contacted by one of his production idols, Danny Wolf, to help produce beats for the US he thought he was being pranked. He realised the collab wasn't a prank email after recognising his beat that included his tag while scrolling through Instagram “I’d just woken up and was like yo, that’s my beat. I almost had a heart attack, cause that’s been my dream since starting,” says LMC. “I called my mum, she was the first person I called.”

Working part-time at Pita Pit, he says keeps his life balanced, but he doesn't expect to be there for much longer. He's encouraged by the revenue received from his track ‘Listen Up’ with Rich the Kid which was released March this year, plus the four new placements that have rolled in since. LMC records in his room, often with his friend rapper Raka.

“When the Rich the Kid song dropped I felt a lot of pressure from people wanting to see if I can get another one, so I don't feel like I’m just a one hit wonder,” he says. “I feel like you gotta work harder than the next person. This month I’ve done like 200 beats and probably like 10 of them will be chosen.”

The internet and platforms like SoundCloud have played a major role in these producers’ success so far, allowing them to earn a good living and be their own boss, working with American artists from home in Avondale. 22-year-old Villette released her debut EP at the start of this year. She remembers starting off on SoundCloud, “In that era where it was really popping off—it was just so different to how it is now, before it was bought out by major labels,” she says. “That's how I connected with people.” Villette is primarily self-taught and able to work from her bedroom where she's set up with a cozy corner desk. In 2016 she was part of Red Bull’s 30 days in LA programme. She remembers getting off the plane and heading to the studio to do production work with writers who had worked with Beyonce, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj. “A lot of people don’t realise one really good song hardly comes from the artists singing it—it’s produced so the beat is made and sometimes that can take months to make. It goes back and forth between a group of people.”

What she loved about the experience was the competitive environment, she says. “It’s 100 times more fast-paced and 100 times more competitive which makes you step up your game—and it’s good to bring that energy back here and use it.”

Villette says Instagram has now become a primary platform to network as an artist. One morning after releasing her album she remembers waking up to hundreds of new followers because dance crews had used her tracks to choreograph hip-hop dance routines.

“It's huge to me because when I first made the song I didn't picture anyone dancing to it. You don't realise the stuff that you make here, you chuck it on the internet and then people can connect and grab that and make their own interpretation of how that song makes them feel and then use that song to create music. That’s insane to me.”

The first time Haan808 was booked for a gig, it was an opening slot for Kaytranada and he was only 16. He remembers his legal guardian at the time doubling as the gig promoter—and feeling scared backstage: “A 15 or 16- year-old shouldn't be seeing two guys doing lines of coke on the table with ketamine in their pocket and a joint in their ear,” he says. These days he doesn’t feel judgmental toward those who want to get loose at shows, but for him, “I’m living two lives within the music industry,” he says. “Me personally, I’ll be performing at festivals and… if you’re intoxicated and you’re talking to someone that’s real popular and you love their stuff and you wanna network, how you gonna do that fucked up? You can’t do that fucked up. So to me, even when I’m not performing, I’m still working”. Haan808 has been travelling to LA to play headline shows over the past three years, having worked with rapper Waldo and Sango from Soulection. He says the movement of Kiwi producers is nothing new.

“They’ve been writing for people. People don’t even know there are producers like SickDrumz—he’s writing for Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears and he’s making some crazy moves. People in NZ have been writing for people overseas for a good minute now. I haven’t travelled heaps but I’ve been fortunate enough to take my music to other countries.”

Currently halfway through a degree in product design, he manages to fit the music in before and after lectures. “There’s a lot of people in my class [at uni] that don't even know what I do,” he says. Now 22, he has enough collaborations and placements—including names like Young Thug—to be able to pay his rent while studying.

In terms of success Haan says he feels like a baby in his career. He learned the ‘hustle’ from his parents, who built a life in New Zealand together after marrying young and arriving from the Middle East, “with 20 bucks in their pocket”. As for what’s next? He plans to finish his degree and head overseas. “My market is not actually NZ. Don’t get me wrong, there are people that listen to my music in NZ and I appreciate that, but in terms of electronic music and my style, it’s all like London, LA, Montreal, all liberal places—much more liberal places”.

Montell2099 moved to Auckland at 18 because there was a scene he wanted to get amongst—and his grandparents were giving him the gentle nudge to follow his dreams and move out of home.

“When I moved to Auckland from Tauranga I was one of those shy people. I used to just stay home and stuff. But being in a whole new country and a whole new city not knowing anybody, you got to look after yourself. It helped me out with my confidence.” He recalls the moment he saw 21 Savage walk onstage during his set last year at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles to play one of his beats. “I’m always mad grateful especially in a moment like that—Two years ago I was making beats at my grandma’s studio and now I'm here in LA at this massive venue, 21’s coming out it’s mad crazy.”

Making beats is not the only way Montell can get work in music. His primary source of income is playing shows. For him, visiting another country to play music feels like starting “from the ground up again” which he says is a feeling he's starting to love.

This article is part of a special series brought to you by SNIFFERS and VICE to celebrate NZ Music Month.