Aldous Harding

Kiwi singer/songwriter Hannah Harding, better known as Aldous Harding, first drew praise for the gothic indie folk and stark emotionality of her 2015 debut. Later outings like Party (2017), Designer (2019), and Warm Chris (2022) adopted a more off-kilter indie pop approach.

Harding grew up in the town of Lyttelton near Christchurch in New Zealand to musician parents. Her mother was folk singer Lorina Harding, and at 13 Harding made her recording debut on her mother's Tui Farm Folk Festival–winning record Clean Break. Despite this early foray, she initially had no interest in a music career and briefly considered becoming a vet before starting to sing and write songs with a friend.

By 2008 she was performing backup vocals for the traveling string band the Eastern. She was spotted busking and invited to open for a show that same night.

In 2012 she changed her first name to Aldous and worked with Ben Edwards to co-produce her self-titled debut. The record garnered critical acclaim, and Harding toured extensively behind the album.

For her follow-up she signed to a British independent label and released Party in 2017; it was nominated for Album of the Year at the New Zealand Music Awards. After completing a 100-date tour supporting the LP, Harding returned to the studio and released Designer in April 2019, which included the APRA Music Award–winning single "The Barrel."

Two years later Harding returned with the track "Old Peel." In early 2022 she issued "Lawn" and "Fever," the lead singles from her fourth full-length effort, Warm Chris, which appeared later that March. The LP included contributions from Seb Rochford, Gavin Fitzjohn, Hopey Parish, and Jason Williamson.

— Bekki Bemrose, Rovi