We're thrilled to reveal the dynamic lineup of 11 talented performers set to grace the Massey Great Hall this October to perform Elemental, a fresh new concept and original show from Fly My Pretties. This performance brings together some of New Zealand's most promising emerging musical talents alongside beloved Fly My Pretties favourites to breathe life into Elemental.

Elemental welcomes newcomers AJA, Riiki Reid, Taylah, Louis TM & TAWAZ, all marking their first collaboration with Fly My Pretties and bringing with them an incredibly diverse range of musical styles. Leading the charge alongside these new vocalists and performers, Barnaby Weir will be joined by returning members Laughton Kora, Ryan Prebble (The Nudge), Iraia Whakamoe, Nigel Patterson (The Black Seeds) and Aaron Stewart. 

FULL CAST:

Barnaby Weir
AJA
Riiki Reid
Louis TM
Taylah
Tawaz
Aaron Stewart
Iraia Whakamoe (The Nudge)
Laughton Kora
Nigel Patterson (The Black Seeds)
Ryan Prebble (The Nudge)

Tickets are selling fast, with extra seats just added for the Friday and Saturday night shows. All shows will include an Elevated Grandstand, ensuring all seats in The Great Hall have a prime view of the stage. 

Debuting as part of the Wellington Jazz Festival, each show will be performed and recorded live and exclusively at The Great Hall in Wellington, and created in partnership with Massey University. The recordings will make up Fly My Pretties’ seventh live project, and the first since 2016’s String Theory.

This new show will see this group of musicians exploring a range of fundamental human, spiritual and natural elements through waiata. 20 years since the debut of Fly My Pretties with the iconic Live At Bats, they will return to their spiritual home of Wellington for an all new musical exploration not to be missed.

Listen to an Elemental Cast Sampler Playlist on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/4d01gvI

Presented by Loop, brought to you by Cassels Brewing Co, Main Divide, Radioactive.FM & Massey University.

ABOUT THE CAST:

NEW FLY MY PRETTIES CAST MEMBERS 

AJA
AJA is a grounded and dynamic musician whose work is inspired by timeless, elemental, and harmonious themes. In 2022, she was honored with the prestigious APRA Maioha Award for her waiata ‘Te Iho’. Her voice and musical arrangements resonate deeply, captivating a diverse audience with their intimate and expansive qualities. With her distinctive and compelling vocal tones, AJA draws listeners into a rich and immersive musical landscape.

Riiki Reid
A 24-year-old dream pop sensation from Wellington, Riiki Reid is igniting the alternative pop scene with her multifaceted talents in vocals, production, dance, and songwriting. Known for her electrifying live performances and unique blend of vocal and dance elements, she commands the stage with an old Fender Mustang and a captivating presence. Reid has toured with artists such as Lorde, Six60, L.A.B and Sir Dave Dobbyn, and joins the cast of Elemental after spending 2024 performing across Australasia.

Taylah
Taylah is a rising New Zealand artist whose uniquely commanding and compelling voice embodies calm self-assurance and fiery empowerment, enriched by her poetic lyricism and Māori heritage. Having supported major acts like Dragon, Hollie Smith, and Troy Kingi, her musical resumé has grown substantially since the age of 14 when she first picked up an acoustic guitar. Her music blends soul, R&B, and neo-soul tones into a contemporary yet timeless sound.

Louis TM
With soulful vocals and a fresh take on soul and R&B, Louis TM brings sounds from another era, blending them with modern, groove-infused songwriting that keeps audiences dancing. After 15 years as a piano/keyboardist backing countless artists, Louis is at home on stage. Merging modern soul, R&B, and indie influences, he has performed with Ria Hall, jammed with the California Honeydrops, and played alongside many of Aotearoa’s top musicians. He joins Fly My Pretties as he releases his debut solo album, Shelter For A Broken Soul.

TAWAZ
TAWAZ is a Palmerston North-born Māori artist and singer-songwriter who champions te reo Māori through music and has collaborated with the likes of Stan Walker, Troy Kingi, Maisey Rika and many more. Winning two awards at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards and a finalist for the 2024 APRA Maioha Award, TAWAZ brings a deep cultural perspective and linguistic expertise, enriching the storytelling and authenticity of Elemental.

RETURNING CAST MEMBERS 

Barnaby Weir
Leader and co-founder of Fly My Pretties’ is one of many hats donned by the long-time musician and songwriter, Barnaby Weir. Anything but idle, Barnaby has also established himself as a successful solo musician - all the while juggling his duties as front man for The Black Seeds. Barnaby’s professional musical career has seen him perform in almost 20 countries and contribute song-writing and producing on over 24 albums. 

Laughton Kora
Laughton Kora has been playing music since the age of six, and has been a key member of Fly My Pretties since String Theory. One of the busiest musicians in Aotearoa, his new galactic-funk band Black Comet have been making waves across the country. He brings his distinctive style and flavour to Elemental, creating the initial concept for the show alongside Barnaby.  

Iraia Whakamoe
The dart master Iraia Whakamoe is best known as part of blues-rock trio The Nudge, for his savage drumming style, innate ability to keep a beat and intuitive knack at creating space and feeling within his rhythms. 2024 has seen Iraia create and tour the incredible Bill Withers Social Club across Aotearoa, and he returns to the Fly My Pretties engine-room where he has sat since Fly My Pretties IV.

Nigel Patterson
Nigel Patterson is a Wellington-based pianist, organist, composer and the keyboardist for The Black Seeds. Nigel is a purveyor of vintage instruments, who keeps busy performing in his all-original jazz quartet The Nigel Patterson Quartet. Also a key part of the Fly My Pretties engine-room, Nigel has appeared in every incarnation since A Story. 

Ryan Prebble
Ryan Prebble has beguiled audiences the world over with his stonking guitar rhythms and powerful gravelly voice, which is at times a gentle moan, at times a growl. A seasoned musician, Ryan has been a part of Fly My Pretties since A Story, performed as a solo artist, plus is currently the singer and guitarist for Wellington blues-rock trio, The Nudge, recent finalists for the APRA Silver Scroll. 

Aaron Stewart
Aaron Stewart is an in demand bass player who has built a reputation for solid musicality and creativity. He has performed live with Kiwi favorites like Tui Award-winning alt-country artist Mel Parsons and the bluegrass/Americana band T-Bone, winners of the 2023 Aotearoa Music Award for Best Folk Artist. A member of Fly My Pretties for the past few years, Elemental will be his first album appearance.