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RIIKI REID
Reid in 2022
Reid in 2022
Background information
Birth nameRaquel Abolins-Reid
Also known asRiiki(2019–2020)
Born1999 (age 25–26)
Wellington, New Zealand
GenresAlternative pop, Dance, R&B
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, producer, dance choreographer
Years active2019–present
LabelsWarner Music (NZ, AU)
Websitewww.riikireid.com

Raquel Abolins-Reid (born in 1999),[1] known professionally as RIIKI REID (formerly Riiki), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter, producer and dance choreographer. Several of Reid's songs have charted highly in the NZ Hot Singles Charts, including Good times which reached number 1.[2][3]

Reid released several singles from 2019 to 2021 independently, continuing her work with Warner Music New Zealand in subsequent years. In 2022 she released two EPs with the label, Newer Oxygen and Crash & Collide.[4][5] She followed up with Skin, her third EP, in 2024.[6]

In 2023, Reid and Fazerdaze toured as a supporting acts for Lorde's Solar Power concert in New Zealand.[7][8] In 2024, she performed at Homegrown festival.[9] Reid has also toured with other New Zealand acts including L.A.B. and Dave Dobbyn.[10]

Biography

[edit]

Reid grew up in Churton Park, Wellington and was a student at Onslow College.[7][11] She reached the finals in Smokefreerockquest with her highschool band Retrospect.[1] Reid went on to study commercial music at Massey University in 2015, and graduated with a Bachelor of Commercial Music in 2022.[1][11] During this time she worked as a dance teacher at Pump Dance Studios.[11]

Reid is of Samoan, Latvian, Scottish and Māori (Ngāti Porou) descent.[12][13] She recorded her first original composition in te reo Māori with "Kārewa" in 2023, and "Te Tāone", a re-imagining of the 2022 single "The City."[14][15]

Reid describes herself as "primarily a vocalist" with an interest in piano and guitar.[16] She claims a love of "edgy 90s rock" and cites Radiohead and Björk as inspirations.[17]

Reid's was seven years old when she performed for the first time in public, alongside her brother in North City Mall, Porirua.[18]

Career

[edit]

2019–2022: Newer Oxygen and Crash & Collide

[edit]
Reid in 2022 in a promotional performance for Newer Oxygen

In the late 2010s, Reid was teaching dance at Pump Dance Studios in Wellington, and was part of a hip-hop dance crew, while also studying commercial music at Massey University.[11] In 2019, she recorded and produced the single "One Day", which was mixed and mastered at Roundhead Studios by sound engineer Simon Gooding. The release was accompanied by a music video[19] Reid followed up with "High Heights" in 2019.[20]

Reid was signed to talent agency WME in 2020 and briefly flew to Los Angeles on a "songwriting trip".[18] However, her plans were briefly halted due to the COVID-19 lockdown, in which she ended her relationship with her then boyfriend at the peak of the pandemic. Reid has stated this period was a distressing time that affected her motivation.[21] However, she returned with new material in mid-to-late 2020, she released two further singles: "Share Your Luv" and "Good Times".[22][21] The latter single spent 3 weeks on the New Zealand "hot 40" charts, peaking at 9.[23] She followed in 2021 with her fifth single, "In the Moment", released with a music video directed by Connor Pritchard and funded by NZ On Air.[24]

In May 2022, Reid released her debut EP Newer Oxygen, which is a collection of three singles.[5] This was soon followed by Crash & Collide, a second EP, released in November.[4] That year, she toured in NZ and Australia with artists including Dave Dobbyn and L.A.B, and Budjerah on his Australia tour.[10]

2023–present: Skin

[edit]

In 2023, Reid recorded her first original composition in te reo Māori with "Kārewa" in 2023, and "Te Tāone", a re-imagining of the 2022 single "The City."[14] Reid began touring on Lorde's Solar Power tour during the New Zealand leg, as an opening act along with Fazerdaze.

In 2024, Reid released her third EP, Skin.[6] It was described as a pop ballad album, and the final in a trilogy of EP releases.[6] Later that year, she performed at Homegrown Music Festival for the first time.[9]

In 2025, Reid released the singles "Over Romantic"[25] and "Indulgent (Fruit)".[26]

Discography

[edit]

EPs

[edit]
  • Newer Oxygen (2022)[5]
  • Crash & Collide (2022)[4]
  • Skin (2024)[6]

Singles

[edit]
  • "One Day" (2019)[19]
  • "High Heights" (2019)[20]
  • "Share Your Luv" (2020)[22]
  • "Good Times" (2020)[21]
  • "In the Moment" (2021)[24]
  • "Meet U Again" (2022)[18]
  • "Karamata" (2022)[27]
  • "Drive" (2022)[28]
  • "The City" (2022)[28]
  • "Home With Me" (2023)[15]
  • "Te Tāone" (2023)[15]
  • "Kārewa" (2023)[14]
  • "Like You" featuring Balu Brigada (2024)[29]
  • "Over Romantic" (2025)[25]
  • "Indulgent (Fruit)" (2025)[26]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Singing her way to the top". www.massey.ac.nz. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  2. ^ "HOT 20 NZ SINGLES". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Riiki Reid". Village Sounds. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Riiki Reid Releases High Energy Project: 'Crash & Collide'". Warner Music New Zealand. 4 November 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "Rising Star RIIKI REID Releases Stunning Debut EP 'Newer Oxygen'". Warner Music New Zealand. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d "Riiki Reid releases new EP 'Skin'". Women In Pop. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  7. ^ a b Mahon, Hannah (24 January 2023). "Musician Riiki Reid talks mermaids and performing with Lorde". Capital Magazine. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  8. ^ Klein-Nixon, Kylie (21 February 2023). "Review: Lorde finally kicks off Solar Power tour in Wellington". Stuff. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  9. ^ a b Payne, Georgia (25 March 2024). "Riiki Reid opens up to Remix about her new EP 'SKIN', confronting vulnerability, and navigating the industry as a female creative". Remix Magazine. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  10. ^ a b "RIIKI REID on her upcoming EP 'Crash & Collide' — HYPE MEDIUM | Celebrating the best & latest in NZ music". HYPE MEDIUM. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d Chumko, André (4 September 2022). "Riiki Reid talks music, identity and inspiration". Stuff. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  12. ^ "'Tapping into new energy' - musician reinvents herself for new EP". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  13. ^ Mayron, Sapeer (10 September 2023). "Riiki Reid on touring with Lorde, and singing songs in te reo Māori". www.thepost.co.nz. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  14. ^ a b c "Singer Riiki Reid on her new Waiata with Muroki - Kārewa". RNZ. 9 September 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Trower, Jamie (6 September 2023). "Home With Riiki Reid". M2woman. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Feature – NewTracks New Artist: Riiki". NZ Musician. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  17. ^ "RIIKI Reid – About". riikireid.com. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  18. ^ a b c Riddell, Rose (11 March 2022). "Interview: Riiki Reid on her new single 'Meet U Again'". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  19. ^ a b "Video Premiere: Wellington indie-pop musician Riiki with 'One Day'". RNZ. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  20. ^ a b McInnes, Laura (18 May 2022). "The Rebirth of Riiki Reid (Interview)". www.sniffers.co.nz. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  21. ^ a b c Riddell, Rose (11 December 2020). "Listen: RIIKI shares new song 'Good Times'". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. ^ a b "RIIKI 'SHARE YOUR LOVE'". MMF AOTEAROA. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  23. ^ "Riiki Reid". Official Aotearoa Music Charts. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  24. ^ a b Cudby, Chris. "RIIKI Drops Dazed Video For 'In The Moment'". UnderTheRadarNZ. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  25. ^ a b Downs, Sarah (27 February 2025). "Riiki Reid Shares Sun-Drenched Bop 'Over Romantic'". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  26. ^ a b Jones, Lisa (9 May 2025). "Riiki Reid Unveils New Single 'Indulgent (Fruit)'". Muzic.NZ. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  27. ^ "Celebrate Waiata Anthems Week & Listen To The Beautiful New Te Reo Releases From Tim Finn, RIIKI REID, Pacific Heights, Stan Walker & More". Warner Music New Zealand. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Riiki Reid explores dance pop on new single 'The City'". Women In Pop. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  29. ^ "Listen To Riiki Reid's 'Like You' feat. Balu Brigada". UnderTheRadarNZ. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
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