<p>One of the most popular groups ever in their native New Zealand, Six60 became major stars in the Antipodes with their blend of smooth R&B-influenced vocals and pop music that embraces the influences of funk,
... <p>One of the most popular groups ever in their native New Zealand, Six60 became major stars in the Antipodes with their blend of smooth R&B-influenced vocals and pop music that embraces the influences of funk, dance music, reggae, and electronics. A self-reliant band who write their own material, record in their own studio, and release most of their music through their own label, Six60 began as a sideline for a handful of college students and have gone on to become a New Zealand phenomenon. When they brought out their Six60 EP in 2017, all six songs from the release made it into the New Zealand Top Ten at once. Their first LP, released in 2013, became a massive hit and featured several of their most recognizable songs (including the fan favorites "Rise Up" and "Don't Forget Your Roots"), while their third full-length (which like their previous albums was simply titled Six60) found them moving forward without foiling their trademark formula.</p>
<p>Six60 was formed in 2008 while the members of the group -- Matiu Walters on vocals and guitar, Ji Fraser on guitar, Marlon Gerbes on keyboards and samplers, Hoani Matenga on bass, and Eli Paewai on drums -- were students at the University of Otago in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. The group's name came from the address of the student house where they lived and started making music, 660 Castle Street. Six60 started out playing covers, and developed a following performing at parties and student events. In 2009, Hoani Matenga parted ways with the band to pursue a career as a rugby player, and Chris Mac took over on bass and keyboards. In 2010, as most of the members were about to graduate, they decided to record an EP to document their sound; they found their producer at a local music store, and when they had to wait a few weeks before going into the studio, they wrote a batch of original songs for the sessions. Distributing the EP themselves, it became enough of a success that they began work on an album. In 2010, their track "Rise Up 2.0" became a major hit, topping out at number one on the New Zealand pop charts and going double platinum. The follow-up single, 2011's "Don't Forget Your Roots," made it to number two and would go on to rack up quadruple platinum sales. In October 2011, their first full-length album, Six60, came out and lived up the commercial promise of the singles, hitting number one on the New Zealand album charts and earning platinum certification eight times over, becoming the best-selling New Zealand release of the year.</p>
<p>Six60's success did not go unnoticed, and Sony's European branch signed them to a deal. The band and the label proved to be a poor match, and as the band cooled their heels in Germany hoping to smooth out their legal issues, they focused on performing live and writing songs. In February 2015, the second Six60 album was issued by Massive Entertainment; it produced three Top Ten singles ("Special," "So High," and "White Lines") and went five times platinum. 2017 brought the six-song Six60 EP, and not only did the EP sell in quadruple platinum quantities, all six songs made it into the Top Ten of the New Zealand singles chart, with each track going gold or better on their own. In February 2019, Six60 became the first New Zealand act to play a sold-out show at Aukland's Western Springs Stadium, where they performed to 50,000 fans. That same year, they decided to give the major labels a second chance, and their third album, once again titled Six60, was issued in tandem by Massive Entertainment and Epic Records. True to form for the group, it quickly rose to the top of the New Zealand album charts and earned Six60 another platinum album award.</p>
<p>Mark Deming<br />AllMusic.com</p>
