Music Month Alumni: Tom Kelk

---

Mild Orange formed at Otago University way back in 2016 when Tom and his fellow bandmates were all studying for their degrees (Tom is a Bachelor of Applied Science!) - the friends formed a close bond around their musical sensibilities which led them to spend a lot of nights playing and writing together in Dunedin's own studentville! As a result, Mild Orange quickly built a strong local fanbase, releasing their debut album Foreplay in 2018 to critical acclaim and sold out tours throughout New Zealand.

During that time they gained a lot of support from local radio stations and music critics, building a New Zealand base - but eventually they found that they needed to take a leap and move away from home to keep growing: "we felt a bit like big fish in a small pond in NZ - it sort of became 'now or never'!"

And leap they did - moving all the way to London together to pursue their music near the end of the COVID pandemic. Tom and the band have now been living in London for the last 3 years. During that time, he's been balancing touring, recording and his second career as a chef! "I've always tried to have another job that would be sweet with me making time for my music - hospitality works really well for that and my bosses are really supportive of what I do outside work".

The move has certainly paid off: "It's awesome to be in such a busy part of the world as you meet all the right people and make all the right connections" - and it shows: their base is now over 360,000 listeners strong on Spotify following their European and US tours. Some of Tom's highlights so far have been selling out venues in Paris and Amsterdam, their US tour with Phum Viphurit - playing Los Angeles and Mexico City, and their recent show at the The Glow 2025 in Seoul!

But the change from being a local act to an international one isn't without it's challenges - and it takes time for the recognition to come full circle: "There's a weird period when after you leave NZ, you're lesser known until you become really big."... "London's been amazing but it's not all sunshine and roses - we all have day jobs and partners and it takes a lot of hard work to both pay the bills and keep recording and touring."... "We couldn't do it without our partners - they are massive supporters - it's not an easy lifestyle going on tour for months at a time and both people need to be on board with the music or it can cause a lot of tension".

But the mahi is worth the results - it's been a huge few years of Mild Orange writing, recording and performing new music, with 6 fresh singles from the band released since their arrival in the UK, and a new album set to release in August this year: "The music coming out at the moment is what's been recorded while we've been in London, and recording sessions in Wales!" ... "the work tends to come in waves - the recording phase is quite relaxed and then touring gets really intense - it can be a bit difficult to manage your energy when you like routine!" Keeping a good routine when touring is really important for consistency - Tom tries to run each morning to keep fit and healthy on the road.

It's great to hear that the band still maintain their love for their craft -even when not on tour they meet once a week to practice together - they still have a lot of fun and they enjoy each-other's company: "Each member brings different experiences and influences to the table and that's part of what keeps the music different and fresh."

"The reason I've been playing music ever since high-school is because it's fun, and I wouldn't want it to stop being fun, so it's all about keeping the right balance!".

Support Tom and the boys from Mild Orange by following them online:

mildorange.com // YouTube // Spotify // Facebook // Instagram // Bandcamp

Keep an ear out for their new album The//Glow - set to be released on August 8th 2025!