Greatsouth Releases Debut Album ‘Hellhole of the Pacific’
Greatsouth is the musical project of Payton Taplin (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa), a Māori artist from Papakura, South Auckland. With his debut album Hellhole of the Pacific out now through Holiday Records, Greatsouth is entering a defining new phase – building on recent performances, growing international attention, and a steady rise across Aotearoa’s alternative music landscape.
Blending indie rock, Polynesian post-punk and taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments), Greatsouth’s sound sits between raw guitar-driven music and cinematic, narrative-led production. His work is grounded in te ao Māori and shaped by urban Māori experience – exploring ancestry, resistance, identity and belonging through a distinctly Aotearoa lens.
Over the past two years, Greatsouth has developed a strong live and creative profile. He has performed across national platforms including APRA x Waiata Anthems Infinity Sessions: Ake Ake Ake at Roundhead Studios, contributed taonga pūoro to Tom Scott’s Infinity Sessions recording, and supported the release of Scott’s Taite-nominated album ANITYA with a performance at The Civic Theatre.
He has also built a diverse live footprint across venue circuits and cultural contexts, supporting artists including The Beths, Jeshi (UK), Phoebe Rings, Muroki, Leao and MOHI – demonstrating range across indie, alternative and cross-genre audiences.
Digitally, momentum continues to grow. The demo release It’s Getting Hotti has surpassed 260,000 combined views, driving over 6,000 new followers and lifting listenership to 10,000+ monthly Spotify listeners. It also charted on the NZ Hot Singles and Alternative Radio Airplay charts, with support from stations including 95bFM, Triple R, 4ZZZ and KEXP.
Earlier releases laid the foundation for this growth. His 2024 self-titled EP Greatsouth received strong critical support, including recognition from RNZ Music 101 as one of Aotearoa’s standout releases of the year, alongside coverage from Dazed and Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
His debut album, Hellhole of the Pacific, is out now, marking the next phase of the project’s development.
TOUR DATES
BigSound | Meanjin | Brisbane | Australia
August 30 | 12pm @ Badlands Vinyl Tweed Heads
August 31 | Bearly BigSound – Unofficial BigSound Pre-Party @ Black Bear Lodge
September 1 | 7:30pm – 8:00pm BigSound Showcase @ The Brightside
September 2 | 11:30pm – 12:00am BigSound Showcase @ Tomcat Bar
Going Global | Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland | Aotearoa
August 28 | 7:20pm @ Double Whammy
Album Release Show | Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland | Aotearoa
August 21 | 7:30pm @ Big Fan
Photo Credit: Geofferry Matautia
