Fred again.. performs at the Glastonbury Festival 2023. Photo / Getty Images
Rumours have been swirling over the past 72 hours about Fred Again.. and whether he is heading to our side of the world for some pop-up shows. After arriving in Australia on Tuesday, fans are convinced Aotearoa is the next stop on his list.
Gen Z’s house music enthusiasts and those partial to a sweaty, maddened rave will have no doubt heard of musical extraordinaire Fred Again..
Winning over a plethora of fans with his multi-instrumental tracks, energetic DJ sets and quick catapult to fame, the English maestro has become a headlining sensation and a playlist regular among his listeners.
The Delilah hitmaker last graced Kiwi shores in 2023, however his much-anticipated Auckland gig at Laneway last year was cancelled on account of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Now, many Kiwis are convinced Fred Again.. is on his way to New Zealand, causing a social media frenzy online.
Here is everything you need to know about the musical superstar.
Before jumping into his musical history and current musical achievements, let’s get into the name - or more importantly the elipsis. The “..” is not a typo — that’s how he styles his name — and it was allegedly inspired by Fred’s watching of an iconic childhood flick.
In a TikTok stitch, the artist confirmed that his name “Fred Again..” came from a line in the live-action movie Scooby-Doo where Fred, in the voice of Daphne, says: “I’m Fred Again..”.
The man behind the name — Fred Gibson — is an English producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and DJ, whose genre-defying songs and big-named collabs have earned him a spot on the global festival circuit, playing at last year’s Coachella, Glastonbury and Laneway.
While a regular name in the electronic music sphere, the DJ owes his quick ascent into the spotlight to his Boiler Room set two years ago.
In July 2022, Gibson performed at the iconic venue in London. A clip from the gig not only went viral on TikTok and Instagram, but became the most-watched set on Boiler Room’s YouTube channel — ever.
Since then, Fred Again.. has seen his career flourish, collaborating with big names such as Skrillex and playing at some of the most popular festivals in the world. “Fred again.. had the crowd in the palm of his hand” at Glastonbury 2023, according to Music Tech, and when Frank Ocean exited the Coachella 2023 lineup, Fred Again.. and the Bangarang hitmaker were there to take his place and give festival attendees the show of a lifetime. Many social media users praised the set as the highlight of the California festival.
The DJ also played a slew of shows across Australia and New Zealand, headlining Laneway festival in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide, along with a gig at Shed 6 in Wellington and, in true Fred fashion, a pop-up show while in the windy city.
However, when it was time to make his way up to Auckland, fans had another thing coming: Cyclone Gabrielle. Western Springs was deemed un-partyable, Gibson was Wellington-bound and hopeful festival-goers hung up their boots and bum bags to fight the elements instead.
The festival cancellation, while a huge disappointment for Aucklanders and a blow for artists, highlighted just how popular Fred Again.. was, and just how desperate people were to see the musical sensation again.
Since then, his success has continued to skyrocket. Fred Again.. was nominated for Best New Artist at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards and won Best Dance/Electronic Album for Actual Life 3 and Best Dance/Electronic Recording for Rumble.
On April 10 last year, Gibson appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, which racked up 8.3 million views, and in December he released Leavemealone featuring Baby Keem, which has over 62 million streams on Spotify.
Perhaps it is his unassuming charm, his fresh multi-instrumental take on electronic music or his seemingly “for everyone” genre which he inserts himself into, but there is no one type of Fred Again.. fan. In fact, when gracing a mosh at one of his gigs, you’ll most likely find an array of characters and individuals in attendance, proof of the fact that his fan base stretches far and wide, and perhaps the idea of popular music might be shifting its tone.
Of course, his social media presence is a big factor in his international acclaim, which not only presents to the world a down-to-earth DJ touring around with his friends, but offers an intimate look at Gibson’s life, enveloping fans into a close fold that feels like friendship. While a seemingly smart strategy for a modern artist, creating a sense of loyalty and connection with his audience, I get the impression it’s not all a giant marketing scheme.
The star, during his time in Wellington last year, shared his location on his story, asking fans to come and play chess with him. It is this kind of thing that distances Fred Again.. away from the fame and into people’s perception of reality. He feels accessible. One of the biggest music artists of 2024 plays chess? And he wants to play chess with me? It makes him a little less celebrity and a little more loveable. It’s clearly working for him, because boy oh boy, do we love Fred Again..
Here is where things get interesting.
The English producer has been vocal in the past about his love for Australia and New Zealand, so eagle-eyed fans were on alert when Fred Again.. announced on his Instagram that he was getting on a plane and about to play some unannounced pop-up gigs.
What’s more, Gibson is quite the fan of leaving a few breadcrumb trails to follow, much like the template used by artists like Taylor Swift, who share “easter eggs” to drive interest and engagement among their hungry fan base. The star posted a tub of Vegemite to his story and, in a separate post, Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. This could only mean one thing...
Without the confirmation, Fred Again.. die-hards (me) kept a close eye on his social media account, which was littered with clues about his destination. A bunch of Australia/NZ adaptors on a table at the airport, a glimpse of red on an aeroplane wing that could only be a Qantas vessel, and mentions of “Henry” — his touring buddy — returning home.
Finally, the cat was out of the bag; Fred Again.. was off the plane and it was confirmed that he would be playing a slew of shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Gold Coast between March 4 and March 14.
But what about New Zealand?
@fredagainagain Drop some suggestions 🙏🏼
♬ leavemealone - Fred again.. & Baby Keem
While there has been no official word from show organisers or Gibson himself about potential gigs on our side of the Tasman, fans are ever-hopeful and awaiting some more clues on social media.
The electronic music legend shared a post revealing that he wants to support small, local venues, which has the masses guessing which small musical hotspots around Aotearoa could host multiple jam-packed shows by Gibson himself.
It can only be assumed that if (and that’s a big if) Fred Again.. does decide to host some shows in New Zealand, they will be in the latter part of March after his Australian tour.
As for more information? Well, only further details will come from Fred Again.. himself. Keep an eye out on his social media platforms for updates, I know I will.
The 61-year-old rocker and style icon will perform in New Zealand for the first time.