Keegan Lewis
Nelson-born musician Keegan Lewis, now based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and studying Commercial Music at Massey University, has been quietly crafting his debut project An Ocean of Violets, a striking first step into the world of alternative pop.
“Music’s always been a big part of my life,” he says. “But this is the first time I’ve really pulled everything together into something that feels like me.”
From Rockquest to Uni
Keegan’s musical journey kicked off in high school with his band The Batteries, performing at Smokefree Rockquest, an experience he says opened his eyes to the energy of live performance. Now at Massey, that early spark has turned into something more grounded. “There’s a lot of collaboration here, which is pretty cool,” he says about the programme. “You get to work with some awesome artists, and the production classes have definitely shaped the way I approach my own music.”
An Ocean of Violets
His debut EP, An Ocean of Violets released in March, is a mix of indie, pop, and alternative textures; drawing on influences like Cage the Elephant and The Backseat Lovers. “I’m trying to sort of bend the norm of what pop can sound like,” Keegan explains. “Something catchy but also a bit more gritty.”
Written, performed, and produced entirely on his own, the EP leans into raw emotion without telling a specific story. “I wanted people to find their own meaning in it. It’s all written from my own experiences, but I hope it feels open-ended enough for people to connect in their own way.”
The title came from a lyric in the track before you: “A daisy in an ocean of violets”. Keegan describes this as feeling “one of a kind.” Keegan’s favourite track on the album is the walls. “It was the first one I wrote for the EP, and it felt like a real step forward.”
Keegan Lewis Live
To mark the release, Keegan played his debut headline show at Valhalla in May — backed by a live band for the first time. “It went really well,” he says. “Loved playing through the originals. Selohrae opened the night with an exceptional set, and my band smashed it.”
The crowd turnout exceeded his expectations, with people singing along to tracks they already knew. “It was so cool seeing everyone come out for the tunes, such a fun night. It was so electric.” The crowd knew how to match the energy, like when Keegan played uwma and nothing is the same. “It was a perfect way to express the slower vibe on the ep, providing a kind of shift of emotion throughout the set.”
Despite a couple of technical hiccups, like a dropped capo mid-set , things ran smoothly. “I had a mini panic attack when I couldn’t find it for the next song, but overall, we nailed it.”
Playing at Valhalla left a strong impression. “I loved the stage setup and being close to the audience. It made it feel really personal. The venue was very inviting so massive thank you to Valhalla!”
Learning to Lead
For someone used to being the guitarist in someone else’s band, like his time playing for RENÉE, the frontman role brought new challenges. “It’s easy to zone out when the artist is doing crowd work,” he admits. “But when it was my turn, I was definitely short on words. It was a good learning curve.”
The crossover between playing for others and crafting his own work has been a key part of his development. “Working with RENÉE has shown me a lot about how bands operate. I’ve been able to take that back into my own process and figure out my sound more clearly.”
Looking Ahead
Even with his EP out in the world, Keegan still isn’t slowing down. He’s sitting on a few leftover tracks from the project and is working on acoustic versions too. “Stripping it back is going to be fun, a different vibe.”
Keegan is hopefully eyeing up a future gig at San Fran, and beyond that has his sights on bigger stages like the TSB Arena and Rhythm & Vines.
You can find Keegan on Instagram @keeganlewis_
