New Zealand-formed and Nashville-based Americana/Folk band, South For Winter, is excited to announce the release of single “Something in the Stars”; the first single release from their upcoming concept album, Of Sea and Sky, which is a follow-up to their critically-acclaimed debut album, Luxumbra. This album was produced by multi GRAMMY award-winner, Matt Leigh.
"Something in the Stars" tells the tale of the band's origins; the true love story of a New Zealand musician and a Colorado songwriter first meeting in Peru, South America and forging a connection as they wrote a song together on a rooftop. After traveling between countries to visit each other like birds in migration, the two artists settled together on the South Island of NZ in Christchurch and began performing together as duo South for Winter. The two soon moved the project to Nashville TN, where it formally took flight as a trio.
"Something in the Stars" is about meeting someone who shifts your worldview; someone who makes it feel like the stars have just changed in formation, and your path in life has been irrevocably changed.
Listen to “Something in the Stars”
Watch the beautiful landscape of New Zealand on their single
Read the story from John Platts from WFUV
“Something in the Stars” is the first single off South for Winter’s highly-anticipated sophomore album, Of Sea and Sky, a concept album with complementary themes of air and water. The album will be split into “Side A/Sky” and “Side B/Sea” digital halves, with one complete physical release. Singles from the album will be trickled out over the course of the next year, with the second album single off the “Side A/Sky” half due this May 2023.
Trio South for Winter consists of New Zealander Nick Stone, Colorado native Dani Cichon, and Michigander Alex Stradal, and together the three multi-instrumentalists and songwriters combine elements such as cello, guitar, mandolin, suitcase stomp, and three-part harmonies into a genre-bending sound often compared to acts like The Civil Wars and The Dead South.
The band has landed accolades such as a Semi-Finalist in the 2022 International Songwriting Competition, Finalist for “Best Group/Duo” in the 2023 International Acoustic Music Awards, Official Showcase Artist at Folk Alliance International in 2022, Top DJ Pick by John Platt of NYC’s WFUV in 2021, and “Most Wanted” Emerging Artist at Falcon Ridge Festival in 2019. Their music has been praised by sites such as American Songwriter ("laden with delicate harmonies, intricate guitar-work, and earthy vocals... impeccable sound"), NoDepression ("must-see artist"), For the Love of Bands ("a wonderful mix of indie and folk rock"), Grateful Web ("eclectic in the best sense of the word"), AmericanaUK ("An ethereal, dreamy, journey...a journey well-worth taking"), Relix Magazine, and DittyTV. They have not only received rave reviews from publications, but have also had an outpouring number of support through social media and Spotify (reaching over ~247K listeners, ~733K Streams, and 2.2k followers this year alone - and still growing). Their fan base additionally helped fund the independent release of Luxumbra, raising over $12,000 in donations through a Kickstarter campaign, even when it launched in the first stages of the pandemic.
Between writing and recording, the trio has been completing tours throughout the United States, New Zealand, and Canada, with their first European tour due this Summer 2023.
