Dilz our favourite rapper from across the ditch sat down with us to talk about his connection to Aussie label, Euphoric Livin, the struggles that come with being a self-funded artist and the powerful messages his music delivers.

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for Music Festivals Australia especially at such a special time in your life. Congratulations to You and your partner, Aroha-Lee who welcomed your son, Warriah, into the world last week, six weeks early. How is Bubs, Mum and Dad doing?

Thank you so much! We’re all good, mum is a natural and recovering well, baby is a trooper and getting closer to coming home each day and I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be a father.

You’ve just wrapped up your ‘Yes We Next’ Tour across your native country New Zealand and Australia with King Cass, Rickochet and bunch of other artists. How do you rate this tour given everything that’s happening in the world at the moment with Covid, social distancing and cancellations?

We were definitely on edge the entire time booking dates so far in advance when the future now days is so unpredictable. The biggest worry was the show I had in Brisbane, at any stage the borders could’ve shut and I would’ve had to cancel my appearance at the show or I could’ve been stuck in Australia struggling to find a trip home! Luckily I was able to make it there and back with no issues and the lockdowns all held off until a week after my return. The Brisbane show was definitely a unique atmosphere, the crowd was to remain seated and the venue had a strict capacity. We were very lucky to have no Covid related issues with any of our New Zealand shows. The original lockdown did lead to a cancellation of my national tour ‘The Uprising’ which I’m glad didn’t happy again with this one.

What are the best and worst parts of being on a multi artist bill? Do egos ever get in the way?

Definitely not, I think having other artists on the lineup helps to add diversity to the overall atmosphere of the night, it adds different elements to the performances on stage and also provides the opportunity to diversify the audience. I believe having other artists on the lineup also acts as a learning experience for everyone involved as we have the chance to observe and grow with one another.

Are you glad to be getting back to performing in front of a real crowd?

I never done any live stream performances or anything like that so still have only performed to a real crowd. I was however very keen to get back on stage, both myself and my hype man Rickochet were eager to get some new performances under our belts in the new year.

2020 was a year full of uncertainty and change, for some the year came as a blessing for some a curse. How do you rate your 2020?

My personal life throughout 2020 was definitely a rollercoaster and one I will never forget. I went through a break up with my ex of 6 years but also met my beautiful fiancé within those 12 months. However from an artists perspective, this very eventful year provided plenty for me to talk about in my music

On your recent visit, you came to not only promote and do some shows but to investigate future opportunities here, was that a productive trip? Can we expect to see you in Australia more regularly now?

The entire trip was filled with productivity. I was able to align myself with Euphoric Livin, shoot 2 new music videos, completed a photo shoot, performed at a sold out show and was able to network with plenty of dope artists and producers. I would love to spend more time in Australia and I hope my music allows for plenty more opportunities to do so.

You met with creator of EUPHORIC LIVIN (who promote physical wellbeing as well as mental health) while you were in town, will you be working with them more going forward?

The bro Treva Cropp actually picked me up from the airport, from there we grabbed lunch and chopped it up. He talked to me about his company, where he started and where he plans on taking it and I told him a bit about myself and my journey so far in the music industry. He then hooked me up with some dope gears to rep during my Aussie trip and we’ve kept in touch since. Definitely hope to link up again in the near future as I support what he is doing and the brands goal to raise awareness surrounding mental health.

In Australia we consider all NZer’s to be family was that the feeling you got when you visited/toured?

I previously lived in Sydney and always felt at home living there, it was no different being in Brisbane. The culture and lifestyle is very similar, not to mention the amount of Kiwis you run into whilst across the ditch!

Can you tell us about ‘Behind the Bars’?

My series ‘Behind the Bars’ was created to provide my true fans and supporters a more in depth insight into my lyrics, breaking them down and providing the back story so they know exactly what it is I’m saying and why I’m saying it. A majority of my music is me sharing my personal thoughts and real life experiences and this helps me to connect with my fan base on a deeper level, ‘Behind the Bars’ is me attempting to extend this even further.

Your song “Resurrection” that you released in July is beautifully strong, and has a powerful message, was this hard to write and share to the world?

Definitely. This single along with ‘Cocoon’ are the two most personal songs I have released to date. I initially wrote this over a year ago, it took me this long to get up the courage to release it and share what I was going through with the world. I believe I was comfortable sharing it now as my mind frame today is so far from what it was when that song was written, it’s now more of a reflection song for me and acts as a reminder of how far I’ve come since.

While you have been making music for a few years now, it seems almost over night the tides turned and you and your music were popping up everywhere, is that frustrating or are you just glade that you have finally started to gain ground in the industry you love?

It definitely doesn’t feel like overnight for me. I started releasing music in 2012 so I’ve been doing this for close to a decade now! I believe those early days are needed to grow and develop as an artist but also to establish a foundation for your fan base going forward. I also think building from the ground up helps to solidify your place in the industry, those that come out of nowhere with a song that blows up overnight are generally pretty quick to disappear again once that song’s been overplayed.

Your entire career has been self-funded, from recording to cover art, filming to editing. Is this something you would change if you could or has the process given you more drive and ambition to succeed or an extra layer or pressure you don’t recommend?

If I had some kind of financial support from a label or funding I would 100% be on board with it as long as the conditions suited me. Funding everything myself is definitely stressful, especially since it’s only been in the last year that I’ve started making a profit from music. The previous 8 years I was definitely running at a loss, but this is what you have to do when you’re committed to chasing a dream. You can’t expect anyone else to invest in you if you aren’t willing to invest in yourself.

You have been quoted as saying “I’m trying not to rush the process”, is that to enjoy and appreciate the journey or to absorb the maximum amount of knowledge you can on your climb to the top?

I think it’s a little bit of both but it’s also knowing that the finish line isn’t promised. As long as I continue climbing and making progress then I’m happy. The only thing I’m scared of is going backwards.

Is there anyone you would like to perform or collab with in the future?

A few artists I’d love to work with include Sesh, Swade Wallace, Donell Lewis, Illa and William Singe. My dream Collab that I believe is achievable would be a track with Aussie artist 360.

What’s your favourite song to perform from your resume and why?

My favourite song to perform is ‘All My Bros’ as I make this song very interactive. I get all the ‘bros’ from the crowd up on stage with me and we all do our thing. It’s a vibe for sure.

Where was your first gig? Was it a success or flop?

I believe my first ever live performance was during my school assembly as we were doing a music class showcase, I used to have footage of this performance and it was horrible! My first headline show was the ‘Fuck Tom Francis’ show in Napier during the height of my beef with him. The dramas between us at the time was being reported in media outlets nationwide and I thought a show in his hometown would be the best way to capitalize on the hype, it paid off. Not many can say they had a successful first headline show, I’m one of the lucky ones.

Who in your crew or team deserves a shout out but never gets one? And what is they do that keeps your world turning?

I love this question. I want to take a quick moment to give everyone in my team the props they deserve.

- Much love to my bro Rickochet, he is my right hand man and has been with me every step of the way for these shows and tours.

- Shout out to the big bro TY from Smashproof, without realizing it he has played the role of a mentor these past couple of years and has helped to bring out the best in me, not only musically but also as a person.

- My vocal engineer 5MITH, he’s based over in LA and we’ve been linked since I started dropping mixtapes back in 2013. Over the years we’ve had the chance to watch our friendship grow as well as our talents.

- My graphic designer Myk-P, he has handled the artwork for all of my covers and posters for the past year now, really helping my brand to look and feel more professional.

- My videographer Charlie Higgison from Runner Films, I’ve linked up with him this year and the few projects we’ve worked on together so far have exceeded my expectations in all areas, a young talent that is going places for sure.

- My main producer Shane Buckenara, he has been with me since before my ‘Metamorphosis’ album, the amount of time and energy we’ve put into this music dream together is next level. Wouldn’t be where I am now without him.

- I would also like to shout out Chad from Zerofux Clothing and Roscoe from Bad Tempah Clothing for sponsoring me and my movement for the last couple of years. They saw my potential early and have been riding with me ever since.

What's next for you? What can we be expecting from you to finish out 2021?

Going forward I am looking to remain consistent with my music releases and continue to grow my ‘Behind the Bars’ series. I’m hoping to release a few more music videos leading into 2022 and focus on improving the quality of my music, visuals and production. I’m also hoping to have my album ‘Resurrection’ finalized and released before the year ends.

You can follow Dilz on his socials https://linktr.ee/dilzmusic

'Rewind feat. Sid Diamond & TY' https://youtu.be/pybAzMo9xRo

'iSnap' https://youtu.be/XE8iEegOpkc

'Don't Trip feat. TY & Mikey Mayz' https://youtu.be/CfRyV2uD-Bc

'Resurrection' https://youtu.be/DgViM548KTI