Backstage chaos, cinematic songwriting, and a debut EP that captures early adulthood in full.
SAZ is the kind of artist who makes the chaos of early adulthood sound almost cinematic.
One minute she’s backstage at Auckland’s Others Way Festival, wrangling artists like Connan Mockasin and Saya Gray; the next she’s front and centre singing in the city’s Christmas Parade.
It’s a fitting duality for someone whose debut EP In Plain Sight is all raw feeling, big swings, and the kind of honesty you only land on when you stop overthinking.
Originally from Norwich, she’s found a creative home in Aotearoa, where boldness, collaboration and the natural world have quietly shaped her songwriting.
Her reference points are equally widescreen, the theatrical sweep of Grace Davies, the playful vulnerability of Chloe Qisha, the grounded emotion of Aotearoa’s own Cassie Henderson.
And while recording the EP in four delirious days pushed her to the brink, it also cemented what’s next: more music, more growth – after a well‑earned beach day or two.
HAPPY: What’d you get up to today?
SAZ: Today (like most Mondays) was super boring – so I’m going to tell you about my weekend instead! Saturday, I got to work Auckland’s Others Way Festival on Karangahape Road, as an artist liaison, looking after the artists performing on the main stage: Connan Mockasin, High Dependency Unit, and Saya Gray – three fricken cool artists/bands and also just lovely people.
Working behind the scenes, I gained access to all the festival venues, so I made sure to check out Sharon Van Etten (who’s just incredible) and Womb (who are also… just incredible).
On Sunday, I took to the other side of the “stage” and sang in the Auckland Christmas Parade on Queen Street. So two complete opposites, but fun all the same!
HAPPY: Tell us a little about where you’re from, and what you love about it!
SAZ: I’m from a wonderful city in England called Norwich, tucked away in the heart of Norfolk.
If you’re from the UK, or even from Norwich itself, you might not immediately call this city wonderful, but it wasn’t until I left, after 16 years of living there, that I realised how special it really is.
Norfolk has some of the most beautiful beaches, endless countryside walks, and gorgeous old towns woven together with charming terraced houses and cobblestone streets.
Norwich has its own impressive castle perched on a hill, two cathedrals that rise above the skyline, and a quiet charm that I feel is missed in other cities.
For me, it’s a place with nostalgia, comfort, and a deep sense of home, the kind of place you only truly appreciate once you’ve stepped away from it.
HAPPY: Who or what are your biggest musical influences right now?
SAZ: Two of my biggest musical influences right now are artists I’ve only recently, and very happily stumbled across.
Chloe Qisha, a Malaysian-born, UK-based artist, has completely taken over my on-repeat playlist.
I love the way she shifts effortlessly from funky, 80s-inspired grooves in the verses to heartfelt, emotive choruses.
She’s witty without being frivolous, and somehow manages to balance playfulness, vulnerability and seriousness all in the space of one song.
Also UK-based, Grace Davies is just divine. What I love most about her music (specifically her newest album, Wrong Side of 25) is how theatrical she is.
A one-minute introductory track that seamlessly transitions into the second, featuring cinematic parallels between songs and gorgeous string sections that make everything feel bigger, bolder, and more intentional.
Listening feels like she guides us through a story. Each song stands on its own, but together they create something cohesive and dramatic.
And just to show my love to my favourite Kiwi artist, Cassie Henderson.
There’s something so refreshing about the way she writes, honest without overexposing, emotional without being fragile, and always grounded.
I saw her perform at the Powerstation in Auckland about a year ago, and I feel so inspired by a Kiwi making waves in the music industry.
HAPPY: Your debut EP In Plain Sight feels incredibly raw and immediate. What was it like recording it in just a week?
SAZ: Tiring, but so unbelievably rewarding. I’m so lucky to have such an incredible and talented group of musos in my world.
It wasn’t even a full week; just four intense days: Monday morning for live tracking drums and bass, and in the afternoon, live piano and organ.
Then, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, it was guitar, and the afternoons were for vocals.
The wonderful horn section was recorded in a separate space and sent through the files on Thursday.
Honestly, when I left on Thursday, it felt like I was moving out. My wonderful band and I poured everything we had into these four songs, sometimes a bit too much, and the atmosphere drifted into beautifully unhinged territory.
But everyone worked so hard, and I’m so grateful for this team – huge shoutout to Tom Broome, Jacob Brown, Sebastian Dudding, Jonathan D’Souza, and Dean Rodrigues!
My flatmates for the week :)
HAPPY: You’re originally from England but now making music in Auckland. How has that move influenced your sound or songwriting?
To be honest, I didn’t write my first song until I was 17, a year after I moved to Aotearoa, so I don’t have much “before and after” to compare.
But I can say that living here has shaped my songwriting in ways I never expected. Auckland opened me up creatively almost immediately.
There’s a boldness and warmth here, and the music community is so collaborative and diverse that it naturally pushed me to experiment and trust my instincts more.
One of the songs on my EP, called ‘Til Spring Comes Again,’ was written on the first day of Spring, an unusually hot one. I
t made me think about how dramatically the weather can shape our emotions and even our relationships with the people around us.
I’ve come to understand the connection between people and the natural world in te ao Māori: a worldview that recognises the environment not as something separate from us, but as part of who we are.
That perspective shifted the song in a meaningful way, turning it from a simple observation into something more cyclical, grounded and connected.
It’s those kinds of influences, subtle but transformative, that have shaped the way I write now.
HAPPY: Each song on the EP seems to capture a different facet of early adulthood. Was that intentional, or did it happen naturally?
It happened pretty naturally. I didn’t set out with a big concept in mind; I just wrote what I was living through.
But looking back, each song definitely captures a different facet of early adulthood: the uncertainty, the excitement, the mental growing pains, the shifting relationships, and the sense of figuring out who you are in real time.
This stage of life is both beautiful and messy, so the songs ultimately reflected different aspects of that experience.
I realise now that they form a kind of snapshot of that period, not in a chronological or literal sense, but in the emotional range.
There are moments of playfulness, heavier moments, reflective moments, and hopeful moments.
That variation wasn’t planned at the start, but it feels intentional now, in hindsight.
Not to be cliché (except I will be), it’s almost as if the project showed me what it wanted to be as I wrote it. Ew.
HAPPY: Your vocals are both delicate and confident. How did you develop your vocal style, and did you have a particular approach for this EP?
SAZ: I’ve never really sat down and tried to design a particular vocal style; I’m definitely more instinct-led.
I tend to sing the way that feels natural in the moment, and over time, that’s turned into something that’s both soft and confident.
A lot of it has come from performing, experimenting with different styles and genres, and getting more comfortable with my voice as I’ve grown up.
I’ve had many, many years of singing lessons, but I also learn by doing and listening: noticing what feels honest, what feels effortless, and what feels emotionally right for each song.
My approach was less about technique and more about intention.
I wanted every vocal to feel true to the emotion behind the track, whether that meant holding back, leaning into vulnerability, or pushing for something bolder and more powerful.
I must shout out Jacob Brown again, as he worked closely with me during our vocal recording sessions and consistently encouraged me to try different approaches – a true legend.
HAPPY: Now that In Plain Sight is out, what’s next for you creatively? Are there directions you’re excited to explore beyond this EP?
SAZ: Ahhh, I don’t know!! I’m always thinking about what comes next, but I’m also giving myself a moment to breathe and enjoy the fact that the EP exists.
I would absolutely love to record more music; that’s the dream, always.
However, as an independent artist, the practical side can be pretty tough.
Making this EP opened my eyes to how expensive and energy-heavy the process can be, and honestly, I’m now finding myself a bit deflated when the numbers don’t explode overnight.
And I also cannot stand (or just have no idea really) promoting myself on social media… somebody help… please.
But at the same time, releasing this project has made it clearer to me that writing, singing, recording – that’s what I want to be doing.
Creatively, I’m excited to keep exploring, even if I’m not yet sure what form that will take.
I’ve got ideas simmering, little fragments of songs, new sounds I want to play with, and when the timing and resources line up, I’d love to dive into the next body of work.
But the next few weeks are for beach time! Happy Summer Southern Hemisphere!!
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
SAZ: Living, laughing, and loving…
So many things! And how lucky am I that I get to say that?
My family, my friends, my ability to make music, travel the world, visit new places, enjoy warm weather (especially on beach days) and the excitement of what’s yet to come!
What more could I need?
