Reshma Martin, Ersha Island 二沙岛, Miss Leading and DJ RNG + sus are teaming up for WAAHT! (Wāhine Asian Are Here Tour!) A power line-up of feminine Asian energy set to take North Island stages. The group will be touring Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington Friday 18 November, at Meow Bar, Whanganui on the 19th of November at Porridge Watson, and Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland 26th November at Basement Theatre. This is a collaborative production between Peach Promotions, the Eastern Sound Collective, SquareSums&Co and Where The Asians At‽.
The three groups have teamed up as they recognise the need to promote unheard voices in Aotearoa, with Asian women still missing from most festival line-ups and few represented in main-stream music media.
Audiences should prepare to be blown away by the talent-stocked line-up of some of New Zealand's best emerging female artists playing an eclectic mix of pop that borders with classical music and indie to avant-guarde.
RESHMA MARTIN
Reshma Martin's career launched in 2016 after she appeared on the final season of the Malaysian singing competition "Akademi Fantasia." After this event, she went on to achieve music awards nominations and notable success in Malaysia, Japan and Los Angeles before moving to Whanganui Aotearoa and now Tāmaki Makaurau. In Aotearoa, Reshma was involved with NZ reality show Popstars in 2021, released her first English single titled 'Loneliest Girl', and is gearing up to release her second single 'Where My Asians At?'. The new song is an appeal to the NZ music industry, calling out the lack of Kiwi-Asian visibility, opportunities and representation in the sector.
Follow Reshma Marin on:Spotify•Instagram•TikTok•Facebook•YouTube
Miss Leading
Miss Leading is a New Zealand-born songwriter and music producer of Indian and Pakeha heritage living in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She plays live electronic art-pop using an NZ made synthstrome deluge. Her live performances blend melodic synth lines with intricate percussion, poetry and sultry singing with the juxtaposition of heavily conscious lyrics. She has played both NZ and UK festivals and her album "Minor Thing" and her recently released music video "Woke" have both had editorial acclaim internationally, with Minor Thing receiving five-star reviews.
Follow Miss Leading: Spotify • Website • Instagram • YouTube • Facebook
Ersha Island 二沙岛
Ersha Island 二沙岛 is a Chinese-Kiwi duo who live in Tāmaki Makaurau. Having chalked up early achievements in Classical Performance at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing, sisters Dani 丹丹 and Tee 婷婷 now create mesmerising and memorable soul-pop compositions featuring their piano and violin pedigree. Ersha Island 二沙岛 have been writing new music in both English and Mandarin; they released their debut singles "Gut Feeling" and "Good Day" in February this year on both Western and Asian/Chinese platforms.
Follow Ersha Island 二沙岛 on: Spotify • Instagram • TikTok • Facebook
DJ RNG+sus
Each of the three events will close with a pop-up nightclub as the WAAHT resident DJ RNG+sus. They will bring an assortment of fresh tunes to the dance floor. When asked what she may be playing RNG+sus answered "Devine intervention/hellish chaos? Who knows." Either way, it will be the ultimate end to an incredible night of powerful female Asian-fronted music.
All artists have been played on New Zealand and international radio and are seasoned performers who each bring their own unique music flavour and personal stories of navigating multiple cultural identities. The desire to find belonging where they live and within their cultural communities is the diaspora that is echo'd in their music and personal narratives.