Triggar Happy Cranks Things Up with New Single
By now, Triggar Happy is no stranger to making his mark on the Aotearoa music scene. Following a run of hard-hitting releases including Zombies, Cowboy Power Rock, Sundown and I Rock ’N’ Roll, he continues to carve out his own lane between country, rock and blues, with an unmistakably Kiwi take on country-rock.
Raised in the Waikato, Triggar spent years running six farms before turning his attention to music, making the leap into a full-time career and building a growing catalogue of music and a reputation for bringing plenty of energy to the stage. His musical journey has already delivered some serious milestones, with albums Talk Is Cheap and Love Loyalty Respect both reaching #1 on the Top 20 Aotearoa Album Charts, while Triggar was named Impact Artist of the Year at the 2025 Independent Music Awards.
Now, he’s keeping that momentum rolling with Crank It Up – a rowdy country-rock track that brings together heartbreak, horsepower and a healthy dose of escapism.
Opening with a blown-up truck, a broken heart, bad weather and a lost love, the track quickly trades heartbreak for horsepower. Rather than wallowing, Triggar reaches for the keys, puts George Strait on the stereo and drives. With its infectious ‘all night long’ hook, spinning wheels and driving rhythm, Crank It Up captures that restless feeling of needing to get out, turn the music up and leave it all behind.
On the single, Triggar simply says: “Crank It Up to me means: Go For It, Have Some Fun”.
It’s classic Triggar Happy territory: big energy, tongue-in-cheek storytelling and a country-rock sound that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The track is made for the live setting, bringing together the grit of country, the attitude of rock and a chorus practically demanding to be cranked up.
And Auckland fans will get the chance to hear it live, with Triggar Happy performing with three band members at Jolene Bar in Auckland on the evening of release, 18 September, from around 8–9pm. The free performance will offer a taste of Crank It Up in its natural habitat – loud, live and built to get people moving. He’ll then take the show to Smash Palace in Gisborne on Saturday 17 October, with tickets available via Humanitix.
With chart-topping albums, a growing catalogue and an established reputation for doing things his own way, Triggar Happy continues to prove there’s plenty of gas left in the tank.
Crank It Up is out now on all streaming platforms.
