Colette Rivers

Well golly. 
I'm back!

If you follow my facebook page, you will know that in July 2023 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So as you can probably imagine, my focus has been on getting though treatments and trying to work etc.

I had to cancel all gigs and the plan for my EP release last year which sucked, but cancer has a way of taking pole position. 

What was weird is that I honestly haven't been in the mood or mindset to physically do any music…
But here I am now- 1st of Feb 2024, having done 5 months of chemo, had a big surgery (double mastectomy with immediate diep reconstruction) and am now on oral chemo pills till May (but very few side effects so far). 
I'm feeling great! And low and behold- the first thing I want to do is play music and get cracking!

I have an album and a half worth of music that I've written and produced that is just waiting on me to mix and send off for mastering. I've been holding off on this as under chemo, my hearing was altered a bit….

So- In the next few months I'll be releasing an EP and then hopefully by the middle to end of the year- my album #2. Very excited with the direction that the new songs are heading. 

What about the band?!

My poor bandmates Jordan and Momo thankfully had other projects that they were involved in, so didn't feel too abandoned by me. Jordan's band, "The Dead Zephyrs' actually won the NZ battle of the bands, so have some exciting things happening this year with that (recording etc). He's also in another band that does ‘Tool’. So he's not going to be in the line up of the ‘Colette Rivers Band', but knowing Jordan, I'm sure he'll come back for a few guest appearances!

Momo is chewing at the bit to get rehearsing again and spread that joy we always seem to find when playing together. 

Adding to that is Phil on bass and vocals. By a stroke of luck, Phil has landed right in my lap (metaphorically of course!) as he has just started working with me (teachers). He has quite an awesome musical history, having worked for several years as a session bassist for Abbey Road Studios and has played Glastonbury Festival - not that I'm jealous- much!!!

And Rory on 2nd guitar. Rory lives round the corner with Momo and I didn't realise what a good guitarist he was, right under our noses! 

So 2024 is set to be an awesome year- and man, do we appreciate how much joy we get out of coming together and playing music. 
 

After the dry spell- we are going to pour!

Colette 

xxx

Well golly. 
I'm back!

If you follow my facebook page, you will know that in July 2023 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So as you can probably imagine, my focus has been on getting though treatments and trying to work etc.

I had to cancel all gigs and the plan for my EP release last year which sucked, but cancer has a way of taking pole position. 

What was weird is that I honestly haven't been in the mood or mindset to physically do any music…
But here I am now- 1st of Feb 2024, having done 5 months of chemo, had a big surgery (double mastectomy with immediate diep reconstruction) and am now on oral chemo pills till May (but very few side effects so far). 
I'm feeling great! And low and behold- the first thing I want to do is play music and get cracking!

I have an album and a half worth of music that I've written and produced that is just waiting on me to mix and send off for mastering. I've been holding off on this as under chemo, my hearing was altered a bit….

So- In the next few months I'll be releasing an EP and then hopefully by the middle to end of the year- my album #2. Very excited with the direction that the new songs are heading. 

What about the band?!

My poor bandmates Jordan and Momo thankfully had other projects that they were involved in, so didn't feel too abandoned by me. Jordan's band, "The Dead Zephyrs' actually won the NZ battle of the bands, so have some exciting things happening this year with that (recording etc). He's also in another band that does ‘Tool’. So he's not going to be in the line up of the ‘Colette Rivers Band', but knowing Jordan, I'm sure he'll come back for a few guest appearances!

Momo is chewing at the bit to get rehearsing again and spread that joy we always seem to find when playing together. 

Adding to that is Phil on bass and vocals. By a stroke of luck, Phil has landed right in my lap (metaphorically of course!) as he has just started working with me (teachers). He has quite an awesome musical history, having worked for several years as a session bassist for Abbey Road Studios and has played Glastonbury Festival - not that I'm jealous- much!!!

And Rory on 2nd guitar. Rory lives round the corner with Momo and I didn't realise what a good guitarist he was, right under our noses! 

So 2024 is set to be an awesome year- and man, do we appreciate how much joy we get out of coming together and playing music. 
 

After the dry spell- we are going to pour!

Colette 

xxx

Hi Folks, 

Well, I haven't talked about a few of the gigs we've done recently, because time has gotten the better of me!  
I DO want to talk about a gig coming up in Featherston for Matiriki on the 16th July at Waimarie Eatery & Bar
It is called ‘Matariki Jams’ and will be a collection of artists and DJS. 
Here's a LINK to the Details! 
 

Another GIG coming up will be at Valhalla in Wellington on the 30th of August, opening for Aussie artist, Lanę.
Doors at 8pm and tickets available on Under The Radar (will update when available).

Well, 2023 has so far flown by. Though we are only in April, it's been busy for me. 

I've had a few gigs in the Wairarapa and a few in Wellington which have all been really good. Nowadays, I either play solo, as a duo with Momo Sato on keys and harmonies, or as a trio with the addition of Jordan Tredray on drums. 

Jordan has been playing on and off with me for about 4 years and I got him to play some session drums on the ‘Memory Lake’ album. Momo came to the fold about a year ago and we're still having a lot of fun together, so long may this combo continue. 

The sound recording from this weekend's gig at Moon in Newtown (very cool indie venue in Wellington, NZ) didn't work, so all I have is a few rough pics- at this stage…. But it was a great gig & we were really happy with the sound and appreciative of the wonderful audience that we had.

In the Studio- I'm actually almost done with my EP! YEEEEEEE!!! 
I've decided that I'll release an EP with 5 or so songs on it and then the album later in the year. I'm just doing final fixes and mix tweaks, so hoping that it won't be far off before I get that out to you! 

Sometimes life gets in the way- the money job vs the happy job. hmmmm….. 

Peace. xx

I am so excited about this article. 

Beautifully written. Thanks Under the Radar!

Read it Here!

Well, I am sooo very excited to announce that my new single, 'Heaven & Earth' is out TODAY!

I hope you love it! 

Listen Here

Am very proud of this one and like it so much.

Please do listen and help a sister out by sharing on your socials. :)

It’s about a girl who defies her obstacles. 

Think I need to add the lyrics for you folks as this is a real ‘story-song’. 

About the production… 

I wrote and recorded this song in my home studio in Masterton, NZ. I use Logic Pro x as my DAW. I recently splurged and bought a Lewitt LCT1040 microphone which is the most I have spent on any of my studio gear- but what a joy! 

I use my @takamineguitars acoustic guitar for almost all of my recordings. Bass is a logic preset sound and piano is from my Juno keyboard. 

I use a fender strat (USA special edition mahogany) with hungry robot pedals and king of tone by analogman. 

Drums are programmed by me using logic presets. 

Anyway- I really hope you like it! I think it’s a great song and am really proud of how it turned out! 

Colette Rivers xxx 

#coletterivers #coletteriversmusic #newsingle #heavenandearth #heaven&earth #newmusic #kiwimusic #newrelease #indiefolk #folkrock #alternativefolk #altfolk #folkmusic #modernfolk #folkpop #homeproducers #gearlist #empoweredwomen #newzealandmusic #outnow #songswithstories #fenderstratocaster #kingoftone #hungryrobotpedals

So, I'm stepping in to play for the Songwriter's Showcase at Moon in Newtown, Wellington this Sunday.

While I'm actually already booked to play there on the 21st of August, Covid has knocked out one of the performers for this Sunday's show so was asked if I would be free to perform. 

Yerp.

Here's the poster. Hope you Wellingtonians can make it down. Great venue, great sound-tech and all about the original music.
link to tix: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2022/songwriters-showcase-48/wellington

The other artists are Sofia Macray (alternative 'dream-rock') & Sam Fowles (acoustic lyricist/ man) and his guitar..... and me (with Momo on keys!) :)

It was a cold and blustery night, as we unloaded amps and gear into the barn on the outskirts of town.

Momoko and I were to play our fist gig together and I was excited to also be performing a handful of brand-new, never-been heard songs that I've been working on recently.

I've had so many gigs cancelled because of Covid, mandates and sickness that I wasn't sure we'd even make it through the door on the night!

Dave Boone opened, doing some great covers- really raw, cool voice- man and his gat.

Then we played - The new and improved Colette Rivers duo...(all originals of course). What was really cool is that with this new arrangement of just me on guitar and Momo on keys, it sounds different yet again to how I've played the songs in the past. It was a lovely full sound, with M doing sweet and precise harmonies that made me giggle inside with glee. 

We performed 'Heaven & Earth' which is the single I have coming out this Friday (8th of July) which is also pretty exciting.

Great audience. A lot of familiar faces, friends, family and strangers of course. There were a few memorably failed attempts at breakdancing. This has got to be my first hometown gig in a very very long time. There aren't a lot of places to play around here, unless you count cafes and bars where people are there to eat and drink - and I've done a few of them!!!
Anyway, it was great.

The 'Sons of Boomers' band is a collective of people (most are my work colleagues!) who get together once or twice a year to blow the roof off of whatever space they can find.
They came on last to rock the pants off of everyone there- a really good mix of rock covers that weren't the painful ones we tend to hear over and over in every kiwi bar. 

We had a great time. My hands got very close to freezing up mid song on a couple of occasions, but we got there in the end. 

Thanks to the lovely Tonnie Ten-Hove for taking photos!

HEY FOLKS!
I'm very very excited to announce the upcoming release of my new song, 

HEAVEN & EARTH

on the 8th of July

This is the first single release as I move towards sharing my 2nd album with you.
I think it's my best song yet- and I'm not just saying that...
It's a song about about a girl who ignores the obstacles that are in her life- instead meeting them head on! It's about finding STRENGTH and not giving in or giving up.

"Heaven and Earth cannot move her mountains. For what it's worth she will go around them. Fanning a fire that is burning within. Hope like the wind."

If you haven't joined my mailing list, please do so!
You'll get a free download of the song once it's released!

The official video for my song, 'Memory Lake' is out NOW!

It took a lot to get it done- mostly because I kept going back and re-working the edits.

The actual video was shot in one day on the waterfront of Lake Taupō by my dear friend, Abby Dance.

Here's the link to the video

If you haven't already subscribed to my Youtube channel, please do as it helps me to more easily share my video bits and pieces with you!

Colette Rivers
xxxx