Taite Music Prize Finalist Mel Parsons Releases New Single/Video ‘Post High Slide’; Announces NZ/AUS Tour For June 2025

After a watershed year in 2024 with SABOTAGE, multi award-winning and 2025 Taite Prize finalist Mel Parsons brings a taste of things to come with her upbeat, introspective new single and video ‘Post High Slide’. Parsons will celebrate the new single with a run of shows through Aotearoa and Australia in June 2025.

Upbeat acoustic guitar and syncopated melodic hooks set the stage for the track, which draws inspiration from the highs and lows of tour life:

“I used to get post tour blues pretty bad,” Parsons reflects. “I’d come home and thump back down to earth after a sustained period of excitement and adventure.”

“Touring is the daily adrenaline-shot of performing live, then the contrast of coming back to the reality of domestic life and the never-ending admin of being an indie artist.”

Along with today’s single comes the announcement of an Australasian tour, kicking off in Wellington on Sunday May 25 at San Fran, followed by Auckland on Friday June 6 at The Tuning Fork and Christchurch on Saturday June 7 at Loons before heading across the ditch for four Australian shows in Melbourne on June 12, Castlemaine on June 13, Archies Creek on June 14 and Sydney on June 15. Tickets for the New Zealand shows go on sale at 9am on Thursday March 27.

The Lyttelton-based singer-songwriter has also released incredible visuals for the single, the music video shot live on tour with Parsons and her band supporting Crowded House on their GRAVITY STAIRS TOUR, giving fans a glimpse into their 7-date arena run in late 2024.

‘Post High Slide’ is a track that’s as introspective as it is infectious - a testament to Parsons’ continued evolution as an artist. The song contrasts the enormity of performing to large crowds with the quiet emptiness that follows. As Parsons describes it, it’s the feeling of “playing to thousands every night, then going home with that ‘what the hell do we do now’ kind of feeling.”

Last year Parsons released her acclaimed sixth album SABOTAGE, which debuted at #2 on the Official Top 20 NZ Albums Chart. Prior to SABOTAGE was SLOW BURN, which debuted at #3 in the Official Top 40 Album Charts and #2 in the Top 20 NZ Album Charts. Her previous album GLASS HEART, saw her win Best Folk Artist / Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards, and was also a finalist for the 2019 Taite Music Prize and Top 20 finalist at 2019’s APRA Silver Scroll Award.

Today’s single indicates a fresh chapter for the acclaimed artist. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness her enchanting live show, and watch this space for more to come!

Mel Parsons - ‘Post High Slide’ 
NZ / AUS Tour 2025
Sunday May 25 - San Fran Wellington
Friday June 6 - Tuning Fork Auckland 
Saturday June 7 - Loons Christchurch 
Thursday June 12 - Northcote Social Club Melbourne 
Friday June 13 - The Bridge Hotel Castlemaine 
Saturday June 14 - Archies Creek Arts VIC 
Sunday June 15 - The Vanguard Sydney

For New Zealand dates, 48-hr presale begins 9am Tuesday March 25 - sign-up via Plus1.co.nz. Tickets on general sale, Thursday March 27 at 9am.

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