Features

Bic Runga and Cass Basil (Tiny Ruins) have a new project called King Sweeties and we’re proud to present their second single ‘Lydia’, which is out on Friday.

When New Zealand’s last hospitalised Covid-19 patient was sedated in ICU for over a month, doctors feared she would not survive and told her family to prepare to say their goodbyes. Video, Audio

The KGB tried to penetrate government systems and infiltrate the ruling Labour Party during the Cold War, former prime minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer has revealed

US officials will be pushed into action by the recent Black Lives Matter protests, and a “whole host of police reforms” are already being worked on, a former police officer and prohibition advocate says. Audio

At the Movies - This romantic film about a Chinese chef stuck in rural Finland could be just the ticket if you're after something light, says Dan Slevin. Video, Audio

The move to Level 1 feels great, with orchestras and ensembles around the country preparing to return to the concert hall, as well as some more surprising venues. Here's a selection of events happening in June.

The Lost Nightlife of Inner-City Auckland has more than 17,000 members connecting over nights out from the 1960s to the early 2000s. It's the brainchild of well-known Auckland identity Simon Grigg. Audio

A Kiwi wool manufacturer helping New Zealanders and Australians in the fight against Covid-19 has aspirations for its products to have a global and interplanetary impact. Audio

This is the actual pathway Beethoven walked while writing his famous 'Pastoral Symphony'. Download your own free copy to enjoy the 'Awakening of cheerful feelings on arrival in the countryside' played by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

Two small Hawke's Bay music venues are raising money to bring more musicians to the region. It's a bid to support New Zealand artists and the local music scene.

The day John Daniell turned 10, his mum told him she had been a spy. Before long he had a new step-dad, who was an active SIS officer. Forty years on, John and journalist Guyon Espiner search for the truth behind a secret John's step-dad told him.

The Wellington Paranormal actor and her teaching colleague Tom Watson are the core members of the band Fun and Funner. She tells Kathryn Ryan how their love of teaching inspired Better than Normal. Video, Audio

Nearly every documentary photography job in New Zealand got wiped out when Bauer Media closed in April. Now there's concern future generations won't have a visual record of these times. Audio, Gallery

Dan Slevin reviews a compelling - and sobering - documentary about the young American actor Anton Yelchin who died suddenly in 2016. Video, Audio

Teenagers are at risk of developing psychosis after cannabis use, but it would be easier to teach them about that risk if the drug was legal, says the director of New Zealand's longest running study. Audio

Musicians, promoters and venue owners speak with RNZ Music's Yadana Saw about what the future holds for live music post-Covid 19. Audio

A Geraldine couple discovered a colony of critically endangered long-tailed bats (pekapeka) living in old trees on their property. Audio, Gallery

RNZ Concert listeners share photos of and stories about their favourite walks all over Aotearoa.

Journalists covering the US protests have been targeted by police officers, military police – and in some places, protesters, too. Many blame Trump’s rhetoric for the hostility, but are there other factors at play? Video, Audio

For many people, a favourite musical instrument is the cello. Here's a feast of RNZ Concert cello recordings to enjoy.

The former British Vogue editor talks to Kim Hill about her new part-memoir part-fashion history book. Audio

In April, the music world lost the great American producer Hal Willner to Covid-19. William Dart tributes a man whose various albums did the same for a panorama of musical heroes, stretching from Kurt Weill and Nino Rota to Marc Bolan. Video, Audio

Persimmons are in season! Their intense sweetness pairs perfectly with Rooibos (Red Bush) tea in this delicious recipe from chef Nicola Galloway.

At the Movies - Dan Slevin reviews a new film about a young woman who discovers her Hollywood executive boss is a monster. Video, Audio