Hailing from the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand, Balu Brigada is an alt-pop duo led by brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley. Their eclectic sound blends groovy basslines, smooth vocals, and genre-blurring production with expressive storytelling—an approach that has earned them international attention, including a coveted opening slot on Twenty One Pilots’ 2024–25 “Clancy” World Tour. Music has always been a cornerstone in the Beasley household. Their father was a ballet dancer for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and their mother an actress and musician. The brothers also share a rich musical lineage through their grandfather, an orchestral conductor. Henry, born in 1993, and Pierre, born in 1998, began their musical journeys with classical piano lessons before jamming together as teens—playing bad Iron Maiden covers in their family’s rec room. Henry pursued formal music education at the University of Auckland’s School of Music, studying pop and winning accolades like the 2014 APRA Best Arranger Award. Pierre followed suit with a focus on jazz and drama, briefly attending Rangitoto College while also gaining early performance experience on New Zealand television and in acting roles. The band originally began in 2013 under the name Baloo, inspired by the character from The Jungle Book, and featured the two brothers alongside their older sibling Charles on drums and friend Guy Harrison on bass. As minors, Pierre sometimes couldn’t even perform in venues due to age restrictions, forcing early shows to go on without him. Despite these challenges, the band gained early traction on SoundCloud and eventually rebranded as Balu Brigada in 2016 to sidestep potential legal issues with Disney. That same year, they released their first two singles under the new name—“Weekend” and “Ricochet”—showcasing their knack for combining upbeat pop with emotional depth. With support from New Zealand’s arts funding programs and a growing local fanbase, the band began climbing radio charts and developing a reputation for vibrant, narrative-driven music videos. By 2017, Balu Brigada was drawing inspiration from artists like Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, Gorillaz, and Tame Impala, incorporating rap, psychedelic rock, and R&B into their sound. Tracks like “Could You Not,” “Candid,” and “Overlap” reflected this evolution, with laid-back grooves paired with lyrics about love, loneliness, and personal growth. Their 2019 debut mixtape Almost Feel Good solidified their identity. It featured standout songs like the brass-filled “Taxi,” the synth-pop gem “Nightshift,” and the fan favorite “Old Love.” However, by the end of 2019, the lineup shifted—Charles and Guy transitioned out of the group, leaving Henry and Pierre to continue as a duo. They took this change as an opportunity to expand their musical capabilities, learning more instruments and sharing production duties from their garage studio. As a duo, they found a renewed focus and released their breakout track “Medicine,” followed by the dreamy hit “Moon Man” in 2020. During New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdown, the pair doubled down on their DIY ethos—producing, engineering, and documenting their work on social media. With consistent releases and eye-catching visuals, they began gaining global momentum and were featured in Live Nation's Ones to Watch program. Their big break came in 2022 when Atlantic Records’ A&R Peter Kim discovered their music via Spotify and reached out. After months of virtual meetings, Balu Brigada signed a joint deal with Warner Music Australia and Atlantic Records in New York. This milestone led to their relocation to NYC and the release of their debut EP I Should Be Home in September 2022. The project captures the turbulence of youth, breakups, and self-discovery over lush, funk-infused pop production, with “Moon Man” and “How It Would End” standing out as career-defining tracks. <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Balu+Brigada">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.