iHeartCountry NZ Essential Interviews

TheWesternGuide & Kaylee join Dan Bernstone on Kiwi Country Friday to talk about their emotional new duet, Truth I Keep. 

The pair share how the collaboration came together and why the song sat unfinished for nearly a year before finding its missing piece.

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TheWesternGuide and Kaylee Bell have teamed up for one of the most exciting Kiwi country collaborations of the year, Truth I Keep.

The pair join Georgia Burt to reveal how the song came together, why it sat unfinished for a year, what it was like recording together, the story behind the music video, and what's next for both artists, including The Western Guide's upcoming album Poviboy and Kaylee's international touring plans.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and premiere of Truth I Keep
00:00:22 - How Truth I Keep came to be
00:01:10 - Why Kaylee Bell was the perfect collaborator
00:01:42 - Kaylee's reaction to hearing the song
00:02:38 - Writing and recording Kaylee's verse
00:03:27 - Recording together in studio
00:03:42 - Music video details revealed
00:04:42 - Filming in the rain
00:05:13 - TheWesternGuide's upcoming album Poviboy
00:05:38 - Hidden meaning behind Little Red Number
00:06:43 - Kaylee Bell's UK tour and new music

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Michael Marcagi joins us as he returns to New Zealand to open for Noah Kahan.

The singer-songwriter talks about writing Scared to Start during Covid, seeing fans sing along on the other side of the world, the songs connecting most with crowds, life on tour, and why a potential New Zealand bungee jump has him slightly nervous.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Welcome to New Zealand & Australian tour experiences
01:30 - Auckland recommendations and Waiheke Island
02:05 - The possibility of a New Zealand bungee jump
03:29 - Touring with Noah Kahan
04:25 - Crowd reactions to Scared to Start
05:38 - Testing new music during shows
06:24 - Seeing fans connect with his music overseas
06:51 - Writing songs during Covid in Ohio
07:41 - Staying grounded while touring
10:00 - Why talking makes him more nervous than singing
11:21 - What fans can expect from a Michael Marcagi show

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Kiwi country star Kaylee Bell is gearing up for another massive CMC Rocks appearance as the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Kaylee reflects on her first performance, how the festival helped shape country music across Australasia, her favourite CMC memories, camping with fans, and what audiences can expect from her 2027 festival set.

Timestamps:
00:00 - CMC Rocks' 20th anniversary and Kaylee's connection to the festival
00:58 - Realising this will be her eighth appearance
02:24 - Memories of her first CMC Rocks performance
03:20 - How CMC helped grow country music in Australasia
04:04 - Christchurch stadium performance and live-show discussion
04:44 - What fans can expect from her festival set
05:16 - Kaylee's experience camping at CMC Rocks
06:38 - Why CMC fans are the best in country music

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Country music icons Brooks & Dunn are heading back to Australia for the 20th anniversary of CMC Rocks.

We caught up with them to chat about the journey that brought them there. The duo reflect on receiving a major CMA honour, share stories from the road, talk about their loyal fanbase, and reveal what Kiwi and Aussie country fans can expect when they hit the CMC Rocks stage.

Timestamps:
00:00 Receiving the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award
00:33 Why the honour feels surreal
00:58 "Country music cockroaches"
01:31 Turning social media into merch ideas
01:42 The fans who've supported them for decades
02:19 Joining the 20th anniversary of CMC Rocks
02:38 Returning Down Under and dealing with jet lag
03:18 Talking New Zealand and Auckland
03:49 Memories of New Zealand and the All Blacks
04:33 Why they love watching rugby
05:19 Looking forward to returning to Australasia
05:37 The Perth travel saga
07:30 Mick Jagger's three-song Perth story
08:31 Why CMC Rocks has become a country music institution
09:15 What fans can expect from a Brooks & Dunn show
09:32 Why performing is more fun after 35 years
10:16 Playing London and hearing fans sing every word
10:58 When crowds sing louder than the artists
11:20 The magic of live music never gets old

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Drew Baldridge joins iHeartCountry NZ to talk about his new album 'Farm Faith Family', the independent journey that turned She's Somebody's Daughter into a career-changing hit, and why New Zealand holds a special place in his heart.

Drew also reflects on the night his Auckland debut was cancelled, performing a surprise set at Jolene Bar, joining Kaylee Bell on stage, working with Tyler Hubbard and Luke Combs, touring with Luke Bryan, and his plans to bring a headline show to Kiwi fans.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Remembering the cancelled Auckland show
01:02 - Joining Kaylee Bell on stage in Auckland
02:10 - Plans for a future New Zealand headline tour
02:48 - Losing his label and starting over independently
04:32 - The success of She's Somebody's Daughter
04:50 - Why the album is called 'Farm Faith Family'
06:03 - Life with wife Katherine and sons Lyric and Ronen
06:15 - Building a cabin on the family farm
07:23 - Working with Tyler Hubbard and Luke Combs
09:07 - Dove hunting with Luke Bryan
10:24 - The Baldridge & Bonfire hometown festival
11:50 - Final message for New Zealand fans

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Kiwi country star Tami Neilson joins iHeartCountry NZ after landing a nomination for the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award at the CMA Awards in Nashville.

Tami opens up about the emotional moment she received the news, growing up watching the CMAs from a tiny TV in her family's touring motorhome, and why she never thought a CMA nomination would happen after moving to New Zealand more than 20 years ago. She also talks about returning to the Grand Ole Opry, touring with Ashley McBryde, and what this recognition means for Kiwi country music.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Tami reacts to her CMA Awards nomination
00:42 - Growing up watching the CMAs in her family's touring motorhome
01:12 - Why she thought her CMA dreams were over after moving to New Zealand
02:15 - "New Zealand is the reason for the success I have today"
03:45 - How Kiwi creativity helped shape her career
05:10 - Heading back to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry
06:15 - Touring with Ashley McBryde
07:20 - Why her kids convinced her to stay for the CMA Awards
08:15 - Why the CMAs are Country Music's biggest honour
09:10 - "I've already won" and what the nomination means to her
10:00 - Looking ahead to Nashville

Hear Tami Neilson and more of your fave Kiwi country stars on iHeartCountry NZ!

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Vincent Mason joins iHeartCountry NZ to talk about his whirlwind rise from university student to touring alongside some of the biggest names in country music.

Vincent opens up about his relationship with Stella Lefty, why performing at the Grand Ole Opry means so much, life on the road with Parker McCollum, and whether a New Zealand trip could be on the cards.

Timestamps
00:34 - Seeing his music reach audiences around the world
01:11 - Discovering songwriting later than most artists
02:15 - Growing up with an iPod and playlist obsession
03:20 - Talking about Stella Lefty and Something to Lose
04:08 - How their travelling relationship works
04:41 - What the Grand Ole Opry means to him
06:22 - Supporting Parker McCollum on tour
07:06 - The possibility of visiting New Zealand

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We caught up with Cameron Whitcomb backstage before his sold-out Auckland show!

We chatted about his first trip to New Zealand, collecting strange souvenirs, and the similarities between Kiwi and Canadians.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Cameron's first few days in New Zealand
 00:12 - Gaming on tour and surviving bad hotel WiFi
 01:00 - Buying a hippo skull in Auckland
 01:47 - His expensive collection of weird pants
 02:25 - The similarities between Canadians and Kiwi
 03:37 - Growing up in Alberta and country culture
 04:07 - New music and fan reactions to Kingdom of Fear
 04:43 - Why he quit social media
 05:53 - Making a best friend through gaming
 06:19 - Why the people around him matter most
 06:50 - What Stagecoach was really like
 07:38 - What fans can expect from his live show
 08:06 - Backflips, stage antics and performance nerves
 08:42 - Why he's definitely not a gym guy
 09:11 - Cameron's favourite sayings explained
 10:05 - Performing Cool About It live
 10:56 - Touring with Dani Josie
 11:29 - Plans to return to New Zealand soon

Hear Cameron Whitcomb and more of your fave country stars on iHeartCountry NZ!

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Gin Wigmore is back, and if her latest track is anything to go by, she’s diving deeper than ever before.

We popped into Gin Wigmore's newly opened Wigmore Deli and studio space to chat about about creativity, reinvention, and the deeply personal journey behind her upcoming album.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome to the newly opened Wigmore Deli
00:42 - How an impulsive purchase became a new business
02:13 - Building a space the local community needed
04:22 - Why creativity extends beyond music
06:04 - Finding roots in New Zealand for her children
07:11 - Revisiting old career memories and unreleased work
08:22 - Growing out of self-doubt and perfectionism
10:23 - A new era and a new album
11:01 - The inspiration behind Country Diamond
12:18 - The story that opens the album
13:48 - Why listeners will interpret the song differently
15:02 - The album's "beautiful" and "messy" sides
16:22 - Living openly and embracing vulnerability
18:19 - The lost album that almost never surfaced
19:26 - Stepping away from music and finding her way back
20:28 - Recovering Country Diamond and giving it new life
22:07 - The songs that survived from the original project
22:59 - Why artists should tell the truth, no matter what
24:29 - The women who inspired her storytelling
25:09 - Looking ahead to the album release and live shows

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