Strangely Arousing link with Naz from The Bachelor in music video

Strangely Arousing members during the shoot of Groove Shooter. Photo/supplied by Yeshe Creative

Rotorua band Strangely Arousing have released a new video featuring Naz from The Bachelor as they release their first album and go on a nationwide tour.

The video, which was released last night, is for their new single Groove Shooter. It is a comical version of the hit TV programme and shows the five band members trying to win the heart of Nazanin 'Naz' Khanjani.

The single forms part of their debut album which will be released on July 28 ahead of their nine-date national tour in July and August. They will play in Rotorua on August 4 at the Okere Falls Store.

The five band members, Oliver Prendergast (drums), Shaun Loper (bass), Lukas Wharekura (vocals, guitar), Forrest Thorp (trumpet, keyboards) and Liam Rolfe (trombone, backing vocals), have stuck together since forming in 2012 for an NCEA project at Western Heights High School.

Lukas Wharekura from Strangely Arousing. Photo/supplied by Yeshe Creative

After notching up regional and national wins at the SmokeFree Pacifica Beats, the band members finished school, moved to Auckland and went flatting together to concentrate on their music.

Thorp said the band members still lived together, apart from Loper who now lived with his girlfriend.

He said they were a tight-knit group and it was unusual for a band to not only stay together for so long but also live together.

"It's super handy when you need to have a band meeting," Thorp said.

He said it had long been the band's goal to keep the same line-up and work hard together.

The result of that is their first album, which they have just finished recording at Roundhead Studios in Auckland.

After struggling to get funding, the band decided to take out a loan to pay for the album themselves.

"We are really banking on this project taking off," Thorp said.

"We are a mean band and we play good music and have huge belief in this album."

Thorp said they were pleased to do the album on their own because it meant it was completely their project.

"It's honestly turned out so good. We are so happy with it."

However, he admitted it was always a struggle for the band members to keep up their dream while also paying the rent - especially in Auckland.

He said they had other jobs to pay the bills, all in the hope of one day being able to live full-time as musicians.

He said the video for Groove Shooter was shot by the same people who did their video for Kupenga three years ago.

"The video was Shaun's idea. It's turned out so funny. We used the same directors as Kupenga who know Naz through TV3."

Meanwhile, he said the band members were looking forward to playing in front of their home crowd again at the Okere Falls Store.

"The last time we played there it sold out," he said.

The band was pleased to have a great line-up of acts supporting them on the tour, including "outrageously talented" Whangarei band Otium and DJ Honeybone in Rotorua.