A new 7 part-series produced by Eastern Sound Collective showcases some of Aotearoa’s best songs, from our favourite musicians in a multitude of disciplines who are of Asian descent.

Eastern Sound Stories has also been the recipient of the Taite Music Prize – 2023 NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism

Namnita chats to ASHY, self-managed popstar on the rise and one of Going Global’s featured artists of 2022. They chat the creation of “Mirror” feat. Vallé, growing up in Christchurch, the inspirational words of Tami Neilson and having a great support system. Even Padma Lakshmi gets a wee mention!

Podcast produced by Eastern Sound Collective in conjunction with RadioActive.FM
Executive Producer: Nadia Freeman
Technical Producer: Karnan Saba
Presenter and Artist Liaison: Namnita Kumar
Made with support from NZ On Air Music

Tracks used throughout:
ASHY – Mirror
ASHY – Mirror (Instrumental)
ASHY – Temporary Crush
ASHY – EGO

This week, Namnita chats with Umar Zakaria, Jazz composer, double bassist-extraordinaire and Recorded Music NZ’s 2018 Jazz Artist Of The Year. They chat traditional Malay music, what it means to be a New Zealand-Malay person & his song “Asli”.

Podcast produced by Eastern Sound Collective in conjunction with RadioActive.FM
Executive Producer: Nadia Freeman
Technical Producer: Karnan Saba
Presenter and Artist Liaison: Namnita Kumar
Made with support from NZ On Air Music

Tracks used throughout:
Umar Zakaria – Asli
Umar Zakaria – Landing
Saloma – Selamat Hari Raya
Umar Zakaria & RadioActive.FM – Active Live LTA recording

Namnita chats with Nikita 雅涵 Tu-Bryant this week, a multi-hypenate of epic proportions and one third of KITA.

Te Whanganui-a-Tara based KITA bonds the folk, soul, storytelling and guitar of Nikita with thick lush sounds from Ed Zuccollo (Zuke) and the filthy drive and barking psychedelic drums of Rick Cranson. Namnita talks with Nikita about making and their song “Dig Deep” from their debut album KITA.

Podcast produced by Eastern Sound Collective in conjunction with RadioActive.FM
Executive Producer: Nadia Freeman
Technical Producer: Karnan Saba
Presenter and Artist Liaison: Namnita Kumar
Made with support from NZ On Air Music
Photo Credit: Alex Wong @alex.te.tamaiti

Tracks used throughout:
KITA – Dig Deep
KITA – Open eyes
KITA – Envy

Scalper AKA Nadeem Shafi has been a stalwart of the international trip hop & breakbeat scenes for over 2 decades, starting as MC Nad in the UK hip hop group Made In Britain (M.I.B.). Namnita chats with him about living in Aotearoa, how to grieve healthily, growing up with racism & his song “Dust”.

Podcast produced by Eastern Sound Collective in conjunction with RadioActive.FM
Executive Producer: Nadia Freeman
Technical Producer: Karnan Saba
Presenter and Artist Liaison: Namnita Kumar
Made with support from NZ On Air Music

Tracks used throughout:

Scalper – Dust
Scalper – Emptiness (Instrumental)
Scalper – Three Cups (Instrumental)
Scalper – Within These Walls (Instrumental)

Carawei is a Kiwi-born Chinese multi-instrumentalist and music producer, best known for her solo work & as guitarist of The Venom Dolls. She is also the founder of Milky Avenue Studios, a LGBTQ+-focused music studio based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Namnita chats with her about her upcoming song “Retrograde”, as well as training in music from a young age, how her family approaches her career, signing an album to Big Pop & running your own studio.

Tracks used throughout:

Carawei – Retrograde
Carawei – Retrograde (Instrumental)
Carawei – Blue
Carawei – Sidechain

Sujai is an independent ambient producer, born in India and raised in Aotearoa, having started his musical journey as a freestyle rapper. Namnita chats to him about translating pain through music, finding the Eastern Sound Collective and creating his track “Turn Up On You” featuring Briony Drysdale

Podcast produced by Eastern Sound Collective in conjunction with RadioActive.FM
Executive Producer: Nadia Freeman
Technical Producer by: Karnan Saba
Presenter and Artist Liaison: Namnita Kumar
Made with support from NZ On Air Music

Tracks used throughout:

Sujai – Turn up on you
Sujai – Turn up on you (instrumental)
Sujai – Hope
Sujai – To The Beat
Sujai – Off Time

Alisa Xayalith is a kiwi-born Laotian living in LA; an award-winning artist, singer & songwriter, most notably a the frontwoman, lead vocalist, guitarist & keyboardist for The Naked & Famous, one of Aotearoa’s biggest bands of the 2010s. Alisa is now releasing incredible works as a solo artist. Namnita was lucky enough to chat all about her new single “I’ll Be There” as well as lockdown loneliness, racist white-dude bands and loyalty as a friend.

Podcast produced by Eastern Sound Collective in conjunction with Radio Active.FM
Executive Producer: Nadia Freeman
Technical Production by: Karnan Saba
Presenter and Artist Liasion: Namnita Kumar
Made with Support from NZ On Air Music

Tracks used without:

Alisa Xayalith – I’ll be there
Alisa Xayalith – High Fidelity