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The live-recorded album fuses soul, blues and te reo Māori and highlights a unique collaboration with Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa 51��ɫ’s Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts.

Fly My Pretties fully embraced the state-of-the-art recording facilities at Massey Studios, where they wrote and rehearsed the album, and later returned to perform and record it during a series of performances. These sessions culminated in the band’s seventh studio album — a body of work that delves deep into fundamental human, spiritual and natural themes.

For Massey Bachelor of Commercial Music and Bachelor of Screen Arts (Honours) students, the collaboration offered a window into the inner workings of one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most celebrated and dynamic musical projects. Students had the opportunity to witness professional musicians in action — not just in performance but across the full creative process, from rehearsal through to mixing.

Massey talent on the mic

Among the vocalists featured on Elemental are Massey alumni Taylah and RIIKI REID, who are both carving out their own distinctive paths in New Zealand music. For Taylah, who studied Commercial Music on the Pukeahu Wellington campus, returning to Massey for the Elemental project felt like a full-circle moment.

“A friend once told me, ‘You don’t really go to uni to learn the thing, you go to learn how to learn. That mindset’s been huge for me as a creative. It’s helped me keep evolving and exploring new directions in my work.”

Taylah recalls the impact of lecturers like Brooke Singer, Ben Howe and Cory Champion —all respected academics as well as active musicians, producers and promoters.

“Their first-hand insight made everything feel more ‘real’. It showed me that being an artist can actually be sustainable, if you build it right.”

She also credits her time at Massey with nurturing a DIY spirit that still drives her creativity.

“During the pandemic, we had to create music from home using whatever we had lying around. That experience reminded me that creativity doesn’t need perfect conditions.”

A new sound, a familiar magic

While Fly My Pretties have long been known for their folk and singer-songwriter roots, Elemental takes their sound in a fresh direction — more groove-heavy and stripped back, with a consistent core band of 11 musicians. Anchored by a rhythm section featuring Iraia Whakamoe (The Nudge) and Aaron Stewart (Mel Parsons, T-Bone), the album also features Ryan Prebble (The Nudge) on guitar and Nigel Patterson (The Black Seeds) on keys.

Musical directors Barnaby Weir and Laughton Kora led the week-long recording process. Te reo Māori plays a central role, adding emotional and cultural resonance to songs that explore the essence of life, connection and the natural world.

For Massey, Elemental is a demonstration of how education, industry and art can come together to produce something truly meaningful.

Te Rewa o Puanga School of Music and Screen Arts Technician and Senior Tutor Ryan Prebble, who worked on the project, says, “Having Fly My Pretties record at Massey validates the world-class quality of our facilities. It reinforces our commitment to real-world creative experiences. It’s inspiring for our students, and it sets a high bar for what they can aim for.”