Henri Woodley, Mizzy + Chequered Patterns Come Together on New Single
Auckland-based vocalist and songwriter Henri Woodley is exploring a fresh new sound with his upcoming single To Fly, featuring Mizzy. Blending soulful vocals, indie-pop influences and a fresh pop-rock energy, the track explores the experience of building someone up in your mind, only to realise that the reality is far removed from the person you imagined.
Written and recorded in just one day at a Big Fan writing camp, To Fly came together through a collaboration between Henri Woodley, Mizzy and producer Chequered Patterns. What began as an exploration of chords on keys and guitar quickly evolved into a soulful pop-rock track, with contrasting vocal styles from Henri and Mizzy helping to shape its distinct sound.
Rather than following the traditional love song narrative, To Fly explores the disconnect between expectation and reality, capturing how quickly feelings can shift when someone doesn’t quite match the person you’ve created in your imagination.
The track’s creation was just as spontaneous as its subject matter. Henri and Mizzy began by developing the chord progression together on keys and guitar, with the melody taking shape naturally through improvisation. As the song evolved, Mizzy introduced electric guitar and bass, bringing a stronger indie-rock edge to Henri’s soulful foundations. Chequered Patterns then brought the arrangement together, adding drums, strings and the remaining instrumentation before taking the track through mixing and mastering.
For Henri, To Fly represents an exciting step forward creatively, pushing his sound into new territory while retaining his signature soulful vocal sound that sits at the centre of his music. With To Fly, Henri Woodley brings together a fresh collaboration and new musical direction.
Photo Credit: Yin Gian Lao
