Troy Kingi

Troy Kingi (born 1984) is a New Zealand musician from Northland. Troy Kingi was born 1 June 1984 in Rotorua, and was raised in Rotorua, Te Kaha and Kerikeri. Kingi is of Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent. He began learning guitar at Te Aute College in Hawke's Bay, and formed his first band, Toll House, at Kerikeri High School. Toll House entered the Smokefreerockquest, winning the regional Northland competition. Since the early 2000s, Kingi has lived in Kerikeri. He studied at the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand in Auckland, and on returning to Kerikeri fronted a number of short-lived bands, including Mongolian Deathworm, Kingkachoo, Troy Kingi and the Tigers, Full Moon Street and Typhoon Fools, while also working as a scuba instructor and fruit picking in Kerikeri orchards. Kingi's work with Typhoon Fools gained him more widespread attention, and led to him being cast in the film Mt. Zion (2013). Kingi also featured on the film's soundtrack, and after the film's release, toured New Zealand with the film's lead actor Stan Walker. Kingi released his first extended play in 2013. His appearance in Mt. Zion led to further work as an actor, including The Pā Boys (2014) and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016). Kingi collaborated on the Stan Walker song "Aotearoa" (2014), a song created part of a Te Wiki o te Reo Māori project for a song sung in Māori language to reach number one in New Zealand, something that had not been seen since Pātea Māori Club's "Poi E" in 1984. Kingi set himself the goal of releasing 10 albums in the span of 10 years, performing in 10 different genres. The first in this series was Guitar Party at Uncle's Bach (2016), a double album recorded live in seven days at Lyttelton, New Zealand. At the Waiata Māori Music Awards, Kingi won the awards for best Māori pop artist and best solo male artist. His second album, the soul-psychedelic Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way to Zygertron (2017), featured "Aztechknowledgey", which was nominated for the APRA Silver Scroll award. Holy Colony Burning Acres (2019) was a political roots reggae album featuring songs that discussed subjects including West Papua, the Inuit, Hawaiʻi and Aboriginal Tasmanians, The album won the 2020 Taite Music Prize. In 2020, Kingi released The Ghost of Freddie Cesar, an album inspired by a cassette tape Kingi found in the belongings of his father, who disappeared in 2005. The cassette tape since went missing, and the album was a re-creation of what Kingi remembered of the tape, blended with his own interpretations and original content. The album was a commercial success, reaching number two on the New Zealand albums chart. Kingi's 2021 album, Black Sea Golden Ladder, was written in four days at an apartment on Clyde Wharf in Wellington Harbour, as a part of the Matairangi Mahi Toi Artist Residency programme. The album was co-produced with New Zealand singer-songwriter Delaney Davidson. Kingi plans to retire as a musician after releasing 10 albums, to become a music producer and a gardener at land he owns in Ōkaihau. Kingi's father disappeared around Christmas 2005, while driving between Rotorua and Auckland. Kingi has five children with his wife Huia, and works with the Raid Movement, a group combatting youth suicide in Northland. A Te Reo Māori re-recording of Holy Colony Burning Acres. "Look Up" did not enter the New Zealand artist top 20 chart, but peaked at number 4 on the New Zealand artist Hot 20 Singles Chart. "Ka Mānu" did not enter the New Zealand top 40 chart, but peaked at number 20 on the Hot 40 Singles Chart. "Stay" did not enter the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but peaked at number 10 on the NZ Hot Singles Chart. "Tūrangawaewae" did not enter the New Zealand artist top 20 chart, but peaked at number 14 on the New Zealand artist Hot 20 Singles Chart. Māori language version of "Lest We Forget" from the Troy Kingi EP (2013). Husband, Dale (23 June 2019). "Troy Kingi: Sticking to your guns". e-tangata. Retrieved 10 March 2022. "WATCH: Troy Kingi releases new track and announces upcoming album". Radio New Zealand. 31 July 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2022. Reid, Graham (5 March 2020). "Troy Kingi". Audio Culture. Retrieved 10 March 2022. Ling, Jenny (31 July 2021). "Northland musician Troy Kingi on why Black Sea Golden Ladder is so personal". Northern Advocate. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 March 2022. Timutimu, Rahia (4 February 2013). "Mt Zion Premiere in Auckland". Te Ao: Māori News. Retrieved 10 March 2022. "Mt. Zion - Ost - Soundtrack". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2022. Forbes, Mihingarangi (4 November 2013). "Native Affairs – Troy Kingi". Te Ao: Māori News. Retrieved 10 March 2022. "Aotearoa Stan Walker Ria Hall Maisy Rika Troy Kingi". flava.co.nz. 22 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014. "Stan Walker Released new song Aotearoa". morefm.co.nz. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014. "VIDEO PREMIERE: Troy Kingi 'Babylon Grows'". Radio New Zealand. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "Anatomy of a Scroll: Troy Kingi, 'Aztechknowledgey'". Radio New Zealand. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2022. Peak positions for Troy Kingi's albums on the NZ artists top 20 albums chart: For Troy Kingi EP: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2022. For Guitar Party at Uncle's Bach: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2022. For Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way to Zygertron: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023. For Holy Colony Burning Acres: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2022. For The Ghost of Freddie Cesar: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2022. For Black Sea Golden Ladder: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2022. For Pū Whenua Hautapu, Eka Mumura: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022. For Year of the Ratbags and Their Musty Theme Songs: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022. For Time Wasters: Soundtrack to Current Day Meanderings: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 27 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023. For Leatherman & the Mojave Green: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024. For Troy Kingi Presents: Night Lords: "Official Top 20 NZ Albums". Recorded Music NZ. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 December 2025. Kean, Annabel (14 May 2021). "Troy Kingi Announces New Album + Shares Single / Video 'Call My Name'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "Discography TROY KINGI". Recorded Music NZ. Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "Guitar Party at Uncle's Bach". iTunes. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "Shake That Skinny Ass All the Way to Zygertron". iTunes. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "Holy Colony Burning Acres". iTunes. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "The Ghost of Freddie Cesar". iTunes. Retrieved 8 March 2022. "New Zealand album certifications – Troy Kingi". Radioscope. Retrieved 30 November 2025. Type Troy Kingi in the "Search:" field and press Enter. "Black Sea Golden Ladder". iTunes. Retrieved 8 March 2022. Ryan, Charlotte (23 September 2022). "First song: Troy Kingi". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 5 October 2022. Cheong, Samantha (17 November 2023). "Listen To Troy Kingi's New Album 'Time Wasters: Soundtrack to Current Day Meanderings'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 25 November 2023. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 27 November 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2023. "Leatherman & the Mojave Green". Bandcamp. Retrieved 16 August 2024. Lewry, Fraser (16 August 2024). ""A real labour of love": Troy Kingi pays tribute to desert rock on Leatherman & The Mojave Green". Louder Sound. Retrieved 16 August 2024. "NZ Top 40