Optimistic, effervescent and running late from sound check, we spoke to Riiki Reid during her tour with Budjerah ahead of the release of her latest single, The Dream State.

New Zealand pop artist, Reid, is full enthusiasm as we chat in the back alley outside a Sydney pub. She’s channelling, visually, Peggy Gou, and feels like she can relax and get dressed up now ahead of the show. As we talk about her recent releases, she tells me of her favourite 90s references and how much she loves The Cure, Cocteau Twins, and shoegaze. Influences that she reinterprets and re-frames through her own infectious pop angle. Her pop influences become clearer as she tells me, “It’s kind of funny but growing up I would always say my biggest idol was Beyoncé, which people find weird because it doesn’t match my sound.” Evidently, Reid is taking more from the craft and art of pop than literal imitations.

Reid’s love of Beyoncé and pop comes from her performance-based background, having been a dance teacher since 16, she makes music that she wants to move to and that will move others. Her goal is to put on a show, not just play a gig. As much as other artists inform Reid’s world, her surroundings and home play a huge part in her process. She compares her hometown of Wellington to Melbourne, praising the culture and diversity, citing it as essential to her work. “The Wellington music scene is really buzzy and supportive, there's a band called Mermaidens who are really cool, and loads of out there people.” Her experiences within the scene and experiences with friends make her songs "like my personal diary".

Reid’s latest release, The Dream State, is based on a broken night’s sleep midst a thunderstorm and explores the creative space between waking and sleeping. The video was conceived, choreographed and co-directed by Reid herself and will be the surrealist pop soundtrack to our dreams. Listen, below.