Greatsouth weaves Māori history and alt rock into new album Hellhole of the Pacific

South Auckland musician Payton Taplin, known professionally as Greatsouth, has released his new album, Hellhole of the Pacific, following three years of development. The project represents a significant shift for the 27-year-old artist, who is now blending Māori history and traditional taonga pūoro with alternative rock. The Spinoff reports that the album serves as a challenge for Aotearoa to reconsider the stories it tells about itself. Taplin, who was born and raised in Papakura with tribal connections to Motuti in the Far North, recently rehearsed the new material at Aesium Music House in Grey Lynn. Joining him are band members Rāhara Tito-Taylor on drums, Silas McClintock (Silas Futura) on taonga pūoro, Akshay Raju-Morrison on bass, and Matt Hunter (Kenny Sterling) on guitar. The group is preparing for their first international tour, which is scheduled to take place in Australia next month. The inspiration to fully embrace the indie and alternative rock genre came after Taplin attended the JBL Music Academy in Amsterdam in 2023. Performing then under the name FABLE, Taplin noted that the international reception to his unique sound encouraged him to lean into his distinct musical identity. He credits his early musical foundation to his grandmother, who taught him waiata tautoko and country songs, and later to his peers at the InZone hostel near Maungawhau. Currently balancing a full-time career in communications with his roles as a father and fiancé, Taplin’s recent work has already earned him a Silver Scroll nomination. His journey from performing reggae and hip-hop to underground Māori alt rock highlights a growing movement of artists who are redefining what it means to be a Māori musician in the modern era. Through Hellhole of the Pacific, Greatsouth continues to push the boundaries of contemporary Indigenous expression.