Mountain Boy

Mountain Boy began as an act of discipline and obsession. In 2018, Aaron Clarke undertook a year-long project to write, record, and release a song every week – a challenge that produced over fifty songs and laid the foundation for Mountain Boy. In 2019, five songs from that project were re-recorded with Nic Manders at Roundhead Studios and released under the Mountain Boy name for the first time.

Later that year, Clarke relocated to London after signing with UK label Kartel Records. The move – and the deal – proved short-lived. With the onset of COVID-19, Clarke returned to New Zealand disillusioned and close to walking away from music.

Instead, the return home marked a turning point. Between 2020 and 2022, Clarke began writing the songs that would form Mountain Boy’s debut album The Days. After purchasing a home in 2022, he built a studio in his backyard and slowly pieced the record together in isolation. The Days was released in 2024.

Over the following months, Clarke formed a band with close friends and made the decision to part ways with management – a move that proved pivotal. Entering his first year as a fully independent artist, Mountain Boy headlined tours across Australia and New Zealand and recorded a second album with the band, titled The Nights. The album is set for release on 7 August 2026.

Uninterested in shortcuts or spectacle, Clarke is committed to the long road – a project defined by patience, discipline, and a quiet confidence in the power of the song.