Artists at Festival One 2026

I'm a local ecologist with a special interest in Aotearoa's pekapeka (native bats), and have just about completed my Masters research on them; specifically, their purpose-built bat roosts. More broadly, I'm passionate about conservation, and interested in terrestrial (land-based) ecology in general; sometimes being lucky enough to work with iconic native birds, lizards, frogs, and occasionally fish.

Becs is a spiritual director based in Auckland where she lives with her husband and 3 daughters. She sees people 1:1 for spiritual direction in her home or online. She also works as an Occupational Therapist and is involved in pastoral care at her church, St Pauls Anglican. In recent years she has found renewed life and freedom through contemplative practices, which continue to nurture and deepen her spiritual journey.

Emerging with precision and purpose, CRY WOLF is the newest name shaking up New Zealand’s Hard Rock/Alternative Metal scene. With members from Fire At Will, Swerve City, Coridian, & the Sun Gods, the band came together with a shared vision: to create something bold, fresh, and emotionally resonant.

The name CRY WOLF hits hard - visceral and aggressive. It speaks to the urgency of emotion and the frustration of being unheard, turning the idea of a false alarm into a powerful metaphor for resilience and self-expression.

With Kevin Ashby (lead vocals, guitar), Josh Dillner (lead guitar, backing vocals), Nick Raven (bass), and James Porteous (drums), CRY WOLF delivers a sleek fusion of heavy riffs, cinematic melodies, and raw emotion - think Linkin Park, Story of the Year, and Breaking Benjamin, reimagined through a modern lens. Their lyrics dive deep into personal struggles, abstract ideas, and emotional journeys, always with a sense of hope cutting through the noise.

In a scene split between radio rock and extreme metal, CRY WOLF stands apart - cool, calculated, melodic, and unapologetically heavy.

Darren Mulligan fronts We Are Messengers, a single minded Irish man who writes rock n’ roll anthems and intimate earthly psalms for messy broken people. The goal has always been to engage culture in conversation about the goodness of God and to put words and melody to some of the hardest things we feel as humans. This is a man and band that understands and loves the outsiders, the marginalized, the lost and the least.

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G is  founder and Executive Director of Festival One, President of Laidlaw College, Chair of Laidlaw College Foundation, a trustee of Wilberforce Foundation and creative director and presenter of Long Story Short. G loves making things, 4WD in hard hard places, and camping with Jayne in their rooftop tent.

James Beck is an Associate Pastor at The River Ōpāwaho in Christchurch and the Project Lead for Eco Church Aotearoa New Zealand, a growing movement helping churches care for people and places as part of their worship and mission. Through A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand, he also leads Ngā Here, a podcast exploring faith, ecology, and life in Aotearoa, and He Māhuri Tōtara, a leadership formation programme for young adults. James’ work is supported by the Wilberforce Foundation, where he helps catalyse initiatives that grow Christian environmental leadership and community transformation across the motu.

Jayne Burt has been involved with Festival One since 2014. She loves playing bass guitar and is a member of the band The Northern Outpost, which regularly performs at Festival One.

My passion for all things space began at the age of nine. During my middle high school years, that interest went into a decades‑long hiatus, though a quiet spark always remained. In my thirties, the fascination returned, and much later—before our recent move to Taupō—I was fortunate to spend around ten years working as an astronomy educator and planetarium presenter in Auckland. These days, I enjoy similar work around Taupō — leading stargazing sessions and bringing the wonders of astronomy into school classrooms. I have always felt a sense of awe when I look to the heavens, echoing the words of Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God.”

Her music sits somewhere between Brooke Fraser and Lizzie McAlpine, blending indie-acoustic warmth with her signature guitar-driven sound. Jesus is at the heart of the songs she writes, and her hope is that they bless every listener. Her new EP, What Grows Here, is now available, and she’ll be performing it live at Festival One — make sure to stop by the River Stage for her set.

Lily Linscott is a pop artist and singer-songwriter from Wellington, New Zealand. She has a passion for writing music that helps people feel less alone. As a Christian creating primarily secular music, Lily desires to share her story and connect with others across faith and life experiences. Lily is known for the joy she brings to her performances and her heartfelt, honest songwriting. In January 2025, she performed on the River Stage, won the Life FM Discovery Sessions, and opened the Main Stage at Festival One. Since then, she has released her first three singles ahead of her debut EP. Lily Linscott is excited to be back at Festival One 2026, performing her new music and connecting with new audiences!

Shin Jae-ho, better known by his stage name Microdot, is a South Korean–New Zealand rapper and singer. He debuted as a member of duo All Black, with Dok2, in 2006. He has also appeared on Show Me the Money, Unpretty Rapstar, and Tribe of Hip Hop.

Phil Guyan has worked in NZ media for 30+ years, as the CEO of CBA – Christian Broadcasting Association. Under Phil’s leadership the organisation has produced more than 10,000 programmes for the top rating radio networks and won more than 20 international awards for excellence and creativity.

Sophia is our New Zealand rep, she's been playing in church since she was 10. She is passionate about seeing people find their passion, Sophia hopes to be an encouragement to girls to give drumming a go!

River Movement was formed in 2017, as a band with a strong collaborative vision, intent on sharing a message of hope through a genre-blurring fusion of rap and folk as its core. Along with the band's trade-mark live break out freestyles (mid set), they regularly leave audiences wondering what will happen next.
The band's signature sound has organically evolved and resulted in a truly unique body of work.

Rob Harley is one of New Zealand’s most experienced journalists and communicators.  His fifty-year career as a writer across all media has involved him telling dramatic stories in Aotearoa, and some of the most dangerous places in the world, from where he has constructed award-winning programmes seen by many.  Internationally his journalism has tracked down the murderer of a Kiwi photojournalist, uncovered the truth behind several airline disasters, and led to the establishment of major aid programmes in the Third World.  Rob planted and pastored a church for about 14 years, and he’s produced Christian-based video resources used around the world.  Rob now writes books specialising in subjects such as building resilience, tales of lives redeemed from all manner of pain, and tells amazing stories about the astonishing people he has met from his role both behind and in front of the camera.  He has written eight books on a variety of subjects including ‘A Safe Place to Cry’ which explores how professionals whose lives revolve around dealing with trauma build resilience, and ‘The Courage of Women’ – eleven breath-taking stories of brave women who have helped change the world.  His new book is called ‘Relentless – people who wouldn’t quit, stories that wouldn’t die’ – which is a celebration of the golden age of investigative journalism on New Zealand television.

The Trenwiths are two brothers, a nephew and a father. Three generations of music. They play a mix of modern songs, folk songs and old-time bluegrass music.

At his core, Tony Laulu is dedicated to inspiring positive transformation for individuals and families navigating the challenges of social media and screen time. His mission is to empower people to reclaim their precious time. Rooted in authenticity, he embraces a unique approach, crafting personalised solutions that resonate with the diverse voices within his community.

We are Messengers are fronted by Darren Mulligan, a single minded Irish man who writes rock n’ roll anthems and intimate earthly psalms for messy broken people. The goal has always been to engage culture in conversation about the goodness of God and to put words and melody to some of the hardest things we feel as humans. This is a band that understands and loves the outsiders, the marginalized, the lost and the least.

We Are Messengers have built a career, the old fashioned way, on the road touring relentlessly around the USA, Europe and beyond. They have had 11 consecutive top 10 radio singles including the multi chart #1 hit song “Come What May” and the Gold certified “Maybe Its OK’.

Collaboration has been a cornerstone of We Are Messengers distinctive sound. In 2020 country legend Vince Gill joined the band on a one take stripped back version of “Image of God” captured live and acoustic at Vince’s place. Features by Cory Asbury, Josh Baldwin, Naomi Raine of Maverick City and Christian Hip Hop legend KB have followed.