Hey hi,
The past year was full of making music with good people. It became overwhelmingly busy at times and I had to remind myself what a privilege and joy it is to write and sing songs with your friends. This month’s newsletter is all about myself (muahaha) and the people I had the pleasure of working with - if you’re not into that, I understand. Perhaps you’d rather read about my favourite albums of 2024?
Sig
Double Single Release
At the beginning of the year, I met Janie who performs under the name Just Janie. I discover her song Sylvia when she asked me to open for her show at Vogelmorn in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. It was at this time when I had just finished my song also called Sylvia. As it turns out we’d both written songs influenced by poetry collections from two separate poets: Sylvia Plath and Sylvia Legris. I asked if I could do a version of her Sylvia, and she suggested we sing them both together. That was the beginning of a wonderful collaboration. It wasn’t long after the show and per the request of Janie’s mother that we recorded and released them as a double single.
Sylvia, includes two tracks, written individually and recorded together.
Sylvia I, written and composed by Just Janie, is a response to reading Sylvia Plath’s poetry collection Ariel. After picking up the collection at Scorpio Books in Ōtautahi and feeling drawn in from the two cover lines: ‘I rise with my red hair, and eat men like air’, Janie was flawed by the collection. This is a song to deal with the trauma of reading Sylvia Plath.
Sylvia II, written and composed by Sig Wilder, is a response to reading Sylvia Legris's poetry collection Garden Physic. With each page Sig, who is also a gardener, discovered a wealth of complex plant references and horticultural histories. He was inspired by the botanical glossolalia seemingly of Sylvia's own invention and the collection's ability to create music from language. 'How to write about flowers without the nauseating sentimental phraseology?' Legris writes. This song is an exploration of the language of plants and the haunting relationship between poet and reader.
Sylvia Tour
In support of our new double single, we embarked on a tour of Wellington, Kapiti, Christchurch, Lyttelton, Oamaru and the vast plains of Central Otago. We had the pleasure of sharing the stage with some of Aotearoa’s finest including Adam Hattaway & the Haunters, Gram Antler, Reuben Ishraham, Holly Kimber, Claudia Jardine, Cadence Chung, and Kate Aschoff.
Money Tour with Tahini Bikini
Shortly after the Sylvia tour I found myself back down south with disco funk rockers Tahini Bikini in support of our new single, Money.
We piled in two cars and set out from Wellington on the ferry across the Cook Strait. On the boat we performed to a crowd of uninterested commuters and sleepy backpackers with stripped back originals, half-baked covers, and jams that probably went on a touch too long. Once we landed on the South Island, we drove all the way down to Bank Peninsula for a good night’s sleep before our first show the next day at Wunderbar in Lyttelton. Then back up the country to perform at Roots Bar in Takaka to a seriously energetic crowd.
What a beautiful time with wonderful people. We’ve got two singles we cooked up this year that you can expect to hear early next year.
Sig Wilder in the press!
Big thanks to the people who were interested in writing and reading about Sig Wilder. You can read what folks had to say from The Post, Ensemble, Noise Report, and more below.
Contemplative and a touch wild
If you are interested in the answer to questions like; why Sig Wilder as a name?, what is your origin story?, or who are you influenced by? then look no further. Big thanks to Andre Chumko for taking the time to write about Sig Wilder.
Turns out I’m a fashion icon
Never ever did I think that I would have something to contribute to the world of fashion. Yet here I am featured in Ensemble with my collaborator Just Janie. Big thanks to Janie for allowing me to explore my sense of fashion through her wardrobe. And a massive thanks to my friend Fran Barclay for taking the time to chat with Janie and I about our tour and how fashion plays a role.
Chat with Plains FM
Janie and I had a lovely chat about our double single and touring with Plains FM. Click the link to listen.
Noise Report
Click the link to listen to me ramble about the Sylvia tour and perform a few songs live on the air. I even attempt a cover of a song from Mystery Waitress’s new album.
That’s that. Much love to all the amazing people I worked with in 2024. I’m very much looking forward to another year full of music in 2025.
Toodle oo
Sig