Kenzie From Welly releases new single 'Hold Ya Head' and announces debut album 'Greenstone Door' will be released in January
Published 28 November 2024
Hailing from Wellington, Aotearoa of Māori and Samoan heritage, Kenzie From Welly blends hip hop, R&B and rap in songs equal parts edgy and smooth that speak of culture, community and self-empowerment.
Today she releases her new single ‘Hold Ya Head’ and announces she will release her debut album Greenstone Door on January 24.
‘Hold Ya Head’ sees Kenzie dial down the tempo and ramp up the smooth R&B beats alongside hints of trip hop to compliment her rapping and vocals. It is a gorgeously addictive track that twinkles and soars as the lyrics show love, gratitude and respect to family and ancestors.
“I've been a rap fan my whole life and a huge part of that love comes from the art of storytelling,” Kenzie says. “My bro Troy Samuela produced ‘Hold Ya Head’ and when I heard the space in the beat it felt like mirrors reflecting stories of loved ones. I wanted to honour the dreams they didn't get to chase.”
As well as the release of ‘Hold Ya Head’, today Kenzie announces her debut album Greenstone Door will be released on January 24. The album has been many years in the making, dating back to 2018, and will a reflective and passionate collection of music inspired by Kenzie’s experiences with her cultural community’s collective identity and her continual activism in the face of colonisation.
“Greenstone Door was made while I was living in Brisbane (my home away from home) May-ish of 2018. The cuz Troy Samuela came to hang before he moved to L.A.,'“ Kenzie says. “We didn't know at the time what we were creating would become our process for collaborating. It always begins with Troy making a beat and looping it, I'd go off into the next room to write and by the time I'd come back to record vocals he would have another loop ready to go. Our only aim was to ditch anything we felt was boring. Fast forward 10 days and we had a 10 track album. There's been a lot of life lived since 2018 but I'm happy Greenstone Door gets to roam free. I'm happy people get to start from the start with my debut album and take this adventure with me. This is for us by us.”
An artist that expertly blends the grittiness of hip hop with sweet, warm R&B, and infusing it with powerful stories of her culture and community, Kenzie From Welly’s music gives you songs that both sweep you away with their sonics and engage your brain with her personal lyrics. Her debut album is long awaited and is going to bring an exciting buzz to the first weeks of 2025.
‘Hold Ya Head’ is out now via Forever Ever Records/Sony Music. You can buy and stream here.
Follow Kenzie From Welly on Instagram and Facebook.
