Mylky kicked off 2021 with performances at Bay Dreams and Rhythm and Vines. Photo / Supplied
Electronic musician Nick Rodgers, aka Mylky, is planning a hometown show in Whanganui after seeing his career take off in the past year.
Rodgers moved to Auckland in the middle of last year to push on with his career, which in the past 12 months has included linking with Boy Records, playing some of New Zealand's biggest summer festivals, and watching as his tracks have racked up more than 10 million Spotify streams and 14 million YouTube plays.
In February, Rodgers will play a show at Frank Bar, and he said it was here in Whanganui that Mylky's musical journey began.
"I started off back in 2011," Rodgers said.
"Every morning I'd walk to school and they had Garageband there. I'd just play around with that, and people would come up to me and say 'yo, you should be a DJ or something when you're older'.
"I just thought 'I'm never doing that', and then a few years later I really got into it, and realised that it was the dream I was most passionate about."
After honing his craft, Rodgers started the Mylky project in 2018.
The following year he embarked on his first nationwide tour, supporting local rap hooligans Machete Crew across the country.
"Machete Clan are the guys who really helped me out," Rodgers said.
"I was just chilling in my room, producing beats and writing music, and they hit me up and asked if I wanted to do a show with them.
"I'd never done one in my life, so I just said 'I'd absolutely love to'."
Rodgers said at that show he discovered his love for the stage, and after the following tour "nothing has been the same".
Rodgers moved to Auckland last August, a decision he said had "just happened".
"I was working my 9 to 5 in a cafe, and a friend of mine in Auckland said I should apply to live in their flat up there, so I did.
"Two weeks later I got the room, and I quit my job that day and moved up. I went in with absolutely nothing, and just thought 'this is the biggest step of my life, I might as well do it'."
Rodgers said he had spent the past year building "connection after connection after connection", and through his association with Boy Records he was able to play at the Bay Dreams festival in Tauranga on January 3.
"I also had the opportunity to play at Rhythm and Vines, which was absolutely mindblowing.
"I told myself that I'd never attend those festivals until I play at them, but after a while I thought I might as well just go because I couldn't see myself actually playing there.
"Fast forward eight months and I got booked for both, and it all worked out. I remember looking down when I started my set [at Rhythm and Vines] and there weren't many people there, and then I looked up and it was absolutely packed.
"I just thought 'what is going on; is this reality?'."
A lot of the time the inspiration for his music came from "life in general", Rodgers said.
"I know that sounds really cliche. It could come from going for a walk and taking in some nature, and even some of the TV shows I watch influence my music.
"If I'm watching a sad, sombre series I write quite emotional music, and if it's a cartoon or something like that the music can become pretty high energy.
"I guess it's about drawing inspiration from anywhere I can, even my past. That's what helps give it that unique touch."
Rodgers, who has been able to make a living from his music since moving to Auckland, said he was a big fan of a number of other DJs from Whanganui, and the scene in his hometown had grown in recent years.
"I've been trying to build connections between Auckland-based people and them, so they can get the same opportunities as me.
"There's so much underground talent out there."
As for the next 12 months, Rodgers said he had been offered the chance to move to Los Angeles to continue his musical journey.
"I guess I have the choice between going over there, providing Covid-19 is under control, or stay in my home country and continue to grow for a little bit.
"There are millions of people trying to do the same thing as you, so trying to put your own brand out there is one of the hardest things to do."
In terms of new releases, Rogers said there would be a lot of "dark, emotional stuff coming out in the near future", along with an EP of drum and bass.
"People have been hounding me for about a year and a half to do that [drum and bass], so I finally gave it a try.
"Potentially I'll have an 11-track album coming out at the end of the year as well."
Mylky will play at Frank Bar on February 7.
• To check out his music, go to www.soundcloud.com/mylkytop
