“I remember carrying around their guitar cases!”
He got his first big break at age12, when he got the opportunity to travel to the United States.
There, he took home a gold medal, two silvers and a plaque at the 2010 World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles.
With some accolades and momentum behind him, Owens returned to New Zealand to build his audience.
It’s safe to say he did an impressive job there, too.
His voice will be familiar to anyone who was anywhere near a radio or streaming service in 2021, thanks to his collaboration with Sons of Zion on Love on the Run, which reached #2 in the New Zealand singles charts.
Its te reo counterpart, He Aroha Hinemoa, reached #3 in the te reo Māori singles chart.
Owens boasts a combined 15 million Spotify streams and was nominated in the 2022 Aotearoa Music Awards.
He also performed live with Six60 and Sons of Zion at festivals, including Bay Dreams, Home Grown and One Love, and has opened for Stan Walker.
At every step of the way, he said his family had been behind him.
“Having my whānau around me and supporting me has been the most important thing and I’m super-grateful.”
So, for help on his latest single, it made sense for him to look a bit closer to home.
Collaborating with his brother, Chauncey, on Now Forever was the continuation of a strong working relationship, he said.
“We sort of do everything together now.
“He’s always with me in the recording studio in Auckland, so working with him is pretty mean.”
When he wasn’t recording or jet-setting, Owens said he made regular trips back to Tūrangi and Taupō, where his family were still based.
He always got a good reception at home, too.
“I’ve been so grateful for the support I’ve had from my home town and Taupō.”
“I’m super-proud of where I’m from.”
