“Renee's unique voice and talent to convey emotions through music
makes her one of the most idiosyncratic artists in Aotearoa right now
that's yet to become a household name."
Silke Hartung - Editor, NZ Musician Magazine
makes her one of the most idiosyncratic artists in Aotearoa right now
that's yet to become a household name."
Silke Hartung - Editor, NZ Musician Magazine
Taranaki-based Australian artist Renee Millner has the gift of imbuing her songs with an engagingly simple sincerity and depth of meaning that is masterful and moving. With a smoky, soulful voice reminiscent of the likes of Beth Orton tempered with the earthiness of Courtney Barnett, she writes in a fluid style hovering on the borders of the folk-acoustic and folk-pop genres.
Born and raised in Sydney, Renee’s childhood furnished her with the opportunity to learn classical clarinet and piano. But the magic really happened after she left school, when, excited by the acoustic ballads some Japanese friends would play, she began to teach herself guitar. Already accustomed to visiting family in New Zealand regularly, the following years saw her adopt a nomadic lifestyle, living between the likes of Melbourne, Sydney, rural NSW, Japan and China. These experiences abroad flow into her music making, as she feels that her “heart is everywhere”.
As she says, “Travelling is one thing that really connects me to the present moment, and music does the same thing. When you’re engrossed in creating a song, or putting on a show, you are fully present. That, to me, makes the experience of travel and music very similar. It’s like you have a heightened sense of awareness.” This sense of presence is one of the strong drawcards to Renee’s music: the songs are uncontrived and real, providing a space for her listeners to locate themselves within.
With several standout releases under her belt already, Renee is a rising artist carving out her own niche within the Australasian music scene. 2018 saw the songstress transition from her previous moniker Renny M to writing under her own name, releasing her raw and moving EP In the World as Renee Millner in October 2018, produced by Graeme Woller (Into the East). Following this, the three emotive and powerful singles Out Their Windows, Fly Me Back and the "stirring soul-folk anthem of resilience" (Under The Radar) So Much, released across the course of 2021, showcase the stylistic versatility of the artist, and have paved the way with aplomb for the release of her brand new EP, due for unveiling in late October, 2022.
Given Renee's fondness for 80's pop and such acts as Roxette, The Police & Womack and Womack, it's no surprise that more of a pop-electric sound is beginning to emerge, and this really comes to the fore in the upcoming EP. In music production, magic finds a home when producer and artist can inhabit and embody the same creative vision, and this is exactly the case with the project, produced by Taranaki maestro Sam Johnson out of Rhythm Ace Studio (Renee features in the heartwarming NZ Herald video feature on Sam).
While crafting the body of work, the duo were able to take Renee's initial ideas and round them out to inhabit new sonic territory, simultaneously paying homage to the timelessness of Renee's aptitude as a folk singer-songwriter. Never a mean feat!
Preceding the EP's release is the pertinent new single "Not Ok", due for release on October 7th, 2022, a song about "not taking yourself too seriously, and making sure you remember to surrender to the process", as Renee explains. Following the October 28th EP release Renee will embark on a north island tour with a string of special shows featuring Wellington based multi-instrumentalist Jarrod Bakker.
Katie Brown - The May Magazine
Born and raised in Sydney, Renee’s childhood furnished her with the opportunity to learn classical clarinet and piano. But the magic really happened after she left school, when, excited by the acoustic ballads some Japanese friends would play, she began to teach herself guitar. Already accustomed to visiting family in New Zealand regularly, the following years saw her adopt a nomadic lifestyle, living between the likes of Melbourne, Sydney, rural NSW, Japan and China. These experiences abroad flow into her music making, as she feels that her “heart is everywhere”.
As she says, “Travelling is one thing that really connects me to the present moment, and music does the same thing. When you’re engrossed in creating a song, or putting on a show, you are fully present. That, to me, makes the experience of travel and music very similar. It’s like you have a heightened sense of awareness.” This sense of presence is one of the strong drawcards to Renee’s music: the songs are uncontrived and real, providing a space for her listeners to locate themselves within.
With several standout releases under her belt already, Renee is a rising artist carving out her own niche within the Australasian music scene. 2018 saw the songstress transition from her previous moniker Renny M to writing under her own name, releasing her raw and moving EP In the World as Renee Millner in October 2018, produced by Graeme Woller (Into the East). Following this, the three emotive and powerful singles Out Their Windows, Fly Me Back and the "stirring soul-folk anthem of resilience" (Under The Radar) So Much, released across the course of 2021, showcase the stylistic versatility of the artist, and have paved the way with aplomb for the release of her brand new EP, due for unveiling in late October, 2022.
Given Renee's fondness for 80's pop and such acts as Roxette, The Police & Womack and Womack, it's no surprise that more of a pop-electric sound is beginning to emerge, and this really comes to the fore in the upcoming EP. In music production, magic finds a home when producer and artist can inhabit and embody the same creative vision, and this is exactly the case with the project, produced by Taranaki maestro Sam Johnson out of Rhythm Ace Studio (Renee features in the heartwarming NZ Herald video feature on Sam).
While crafting the body of work, the duo were able to take Renee's initial ideas and round them out to inhabit new sonic territory, simultaneously paying homage to the timelessness of Renee's aptitude as a folk singer-songwriter. Never a mean feat!
Preceding the EP's release is the pertinent new single "Not Ok", due for release on October 7th, 2022, a song about "not taking yourself too seriously, and making sure you remember to surrender to the process", as Renee explains. Following the October 28th EP release Renee will embark on a north island tour with a string of special shows featuring Wellington based multi-instrumentalist Jarrod Bakker.
Katie Brown - The May Magazine