Fly My Pretties

Fly My Pretties
Kristina D.C. Hoeppner · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Fly My Pretties
Origin	Wellington, New Zealand
Years active	2004–present
Genre	Indie rock, folk, roots, acoustic
Label	Loop, Remote, EMI, Universal
Associated acts	The Phoenix Foundation, Fat Freddy's Drop, Hollie Smith, Anika Moa, TrinityRoots

Fly My Pretties is a New Zealand musical collective formed in Wellington that brings together artists from the New Zealand music scene to record live-in-the-studio albums and stage collaborative tours, drawing on a rotating cast of songwriters, performers, and producers from across Aotearoa and beyond. The collective model has linked performers associated with The Phoenix Foundation, Fat Freddy's Drop, Anika Moa, Hollie Smith, and TrinityRoots while presenting works that involve musicians with ties to labels such as EMI, Universal Music Group, and Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa. Their projects have intersected with festivals and venues tied to Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, and international appearances in Melbourne, Sydney, and London.

History

Fly My Pretties emerged in the early 2000s from a convergence of Wellington-based artists and producers linked to studios and collectives in New Zealand, including personnel from Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa, engineers who worked with Don McGlashan and Bic Runga, and musicians associated with The Black Seeds. The collective format drew on precedents set by collaborative projects like The Band, Loose Fur, and the ensemble practices of Neil Finn-led sessions, while reflecting the DIY ethos present in scenes around Goldenhorse, The Datsuns, and Shihad. Early recordings were produced with involvement from figures who had collaborated with David Long and producers in the orbit of Fly My Pretties' home city, leading to live theatrical presentations at venues such as BATS Theatre, Michael Fowler Centre, and regional arts centres that previously hosted artists like Dave Dobbyn and SJD. Over successive releases and tours the collective broadened to include contributors with roots in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, and the Waikato region, mirroring touring patterns seen with Crowded House and Fat Freddy's Drop.

Musical Style and Influences

The collective draws stylistic threads from New Zealand folk traditions, roots regimens evident in TrinityRoots recordings, and the indie sensibilities of groups like The Phoenix Foundation and The Clean, while incorporating soul inflections reminiscent of Hollie Smith and dub textures associated with Fat Freddy's Drop. Songwriting contributions reflect the narrative approach of artists such as Anika Moa and Don McGlashan and the melodic craft of figures like Neil Finn and Tim Finn, blended with rhythmic approaches familiar from productions by Sola Rosa and Sammy Johnson. The collective’s arrangements sometimes evoke the chamber touches found in work by Aldous Harding and orchestral indie gestures similar to collaborations involving Tanya Tagaq and Lang Lang in cross-genre contexts. Production aesthetics show ties to engineers and producers who have worked with Bic Runga, Dave Dobbyn, Shane Nicholson, and other Australasian practitioners.

Members and Collaborators

Fly My Pretties operates with a rotating ensemble including songwriters, vocalists, instrumentalists, and producers drawn from New Zealand’s music community, featuring contributors who have performed or recorded alongside The Phoenix Foundation, Fat Freddy's Drop, Anika Moa, Hollie Smith, TrinityRoots, Don McGlashan, Bic Runga, The Black Seeds, SJD, Aldous Harding, Shihad, The Datsuns, The Clean, Goldenhorse, Crowded House, Dave Dobbyn, Neil Finn, Tim Finn, Barnaby Weir, Ben Lemi, Connan Mockasin, Ladi6, Sola Rosa, Aaran Stone, Kings of Convenience-adjacent musicians, and others linked to labels like Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa, EMI, and Universal Music Group. Producers, engineers, and arrangers with ties to studios used by Fly My Pretties include people who have worked with Don McGlashan, Bic Runga, SJD, and sessions tied to Wellington and Auckland recording hubs.

Notable Performances and Tours

Fly My Pretties have staged sold-out seasons and regional tours in venues associated with headline acts such as BATS Theatre, Michael Fowler Centre, The Opera House (Auckland), and festival stages that have hosted Rhythm and Vines, Splore, WOMAD New Zealand, and Laneway Festival-adjacent bills. Internationally, the collective has appeared in cities where New Zealand artists often perform, including Melbourne, Sydney, London, and festival settings frequented by artists like Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. Special performances involved collaborations with orchestral players and guest artists who have shared stages with Crowded House, Fat Freddy's Drop, and Anika Moa, while broadcast sessions and live recordings were engineered in studios that have also hosted Bic Runga and Dave Dobbyn.

Discography

The group’s discography comprises studio-live hybrid albums and concert films released via labels including Loop Recordings Aot(ear)oa, Remote, EMI, and Universal Music Group, following a release strategy similar to other New Zealand live projects by artists tied to The Phoenix Foundation and Fat Freddy's Drop. Key releases have been promoted through channels that have supported records by Bic Runga, Don McGlashan, Shihad, and The Black Seeds, and were distributed in markets where distributors have handled albums by Crowded House and Aldous Harding.

Critical Reception and Impact

Critics and commentators in publications and outlets that cover Australasian music, alongside broadcasters and reviewers who have documented work by Don McGlashan, Bic Runga, The Phoenix Foundation, and Fat Freddy's Drop, have noted the collective’s role in spotlighting songwriter collaborations and live performance craft, drawing parallels with ensemble projects from Neil Finn-era collaborations and cross-genre ventures seen with Tukukiri-adjacent artists. The project has been credited with amplifying the profiles of participating artists within the New Zealand industry networks connected to EMI, Universal Music Group, and independent labels, and with contributing to a culture of cooperative touring and recording that resonates with the histories of Crowded House, The Clean, and TrinityRoots.

Category:New Zealand musical groups