Features

Popular culture is a place that has always given room to push boundaries, and pop music in particular has been bending gender since Little Richard in the 1950s. Video, Audio

Comedian Ruby Esther has full support from her mum Elin – but can she make her laugh?

Whether you're excited about the new government's first budget, or you're sick of hearing about it, the RNZ Music team have put together a playlist of Kiwi songs to help get you through the day.

Christian Kluxen conducts the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, with guest pianist Ingrid Fliter, in a concert of music by Sibelius, Mendelssohn and Turnage.

Six years after her last solo outing Julia Deans has released We Light Fire. She takes Alex Behan through her new album track by track. Video, Audio

Eating ‘real food’ is a good start for a healthy middle age, says nutrition expert David Cameron-Smith. Audio

This Australia based music ensemble was first founded in the late 90s, and since then has had a rotation of talented vocalists. Zoe George asks them tricky questions.  Video, Audio

A rural midwife details her week of caring for vulnerable mothers, tackling piles of paperwork and footing the cost of driving more than 400km, in the second of the The Wireless series.

Kirsten Johnstone introduces some of the newly nominated names who might join previous Pacific Music Award winners like Adeaze, Savage, Aaradhna, Ladi 6, Te Vaka, Nesian Mystik, and David Dallas. Video, Audio

A card game designed to help people learn and pronounce te reo place names will be available in some schools and offices in the coming weeks. Audio

Whether you're excited about the new government's first budget, or sick of hearing about it, the RNZ Music team has put together a playlist of 13 Kiwi songs to help get you through the day.

Claire Cowan's concerto takes its inspiration from iconic NZ dancer Freda Stark, made famous in the 1930’s after her lover, Thelma Mareo was allegedly murdered with a glass of poisoned milk. #NZMM Video, Audio

It’s been 45 years since the Rocky Horror Show opened in London – and creator Richard O’Brien is amazed the “bit of fun in the theatre” keeps selling out. Audio

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Christina Pluhar's energetic ensemble performs at Carnegie Hall in Music Alive tonight. We recorded them in Auckland last year on their CMNZ tour. Audio

Australian based ensemble The Ten Tenors are on the road in NZ. They popped into the Auckland studio to perform live and answer 10 quick questions. Video, Audio

PM Jacinda Ardern made a playlist for NZ Music Month, but where are the Kiwi classical tunes? We recommend some.

Politics, pop and priceless outfits will be on show at this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon on Saturday. Aucklander John Egan is a self-described Eurovision obsessive and he's on the ground in Lisbon as an editor the unofficial podcast of the Eurovision song contest. Video, Audio, Gallery

The Alpine Fault ruptures in a massive earthquake every 300 years, on average, and the last big one was in 1717.

You can revisit RNZ Concert's recordings from the 2018 NZ Festival in this Music Alive Collection, or catch up with any you missed.

Eating more greens may be a good way to chase away the blues as more evidence suggests a Mediterranean diet can be good for a healthy mind as well as a healthy body.  Audio

Being, the stage name of Jasmin Balmer, has just released her second single and performs it live in our Auckland studio. Audio

Manu Samoa will face Germany or Portugal for a place at next year's Rugby World Cup after World Rugby announced the rescheduling of their home and away playoff series.

The Kiwi crooner cobbles together an impressive musical line-up to perform two of his new songs in our Auckland studio. Video, Audio

Chances are you’ve never heard of the Independent App Network of NZ, but its members have launched local news apps from Wellington to Ashburton and journalists are being hired to work on them. Audio