An intimate reflection on memory, identity, and relationships.

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Acclaimed Aotearoa musicians Elizabeth de Vegt and Hamish Jellyman return as The Flow Collective with their deeply personal new EP Black Swans, releasing on Friday, 16 May 2025, in celebration of New Zealand Music Month and de Vegt’s birthday.

Black Swans is a contemplative body of work that reflects on personal histories and how our identities are shaped by past events and relationships. Written and recorded in 2024 at The Stomach in Palmerston North, the EP draws on themes of memory, family, and resilience. The songs express the complexities of navigating the emotional terrain of transformation, and the determination to resist disassociation.

“These songs come from a place of honesty and looking back,” says de Vegt. “They are about recognising how the past lives in us and shapes who we are today, especially as artists.”

This EP represents the first in a duo, with the underlying themes of past, present and future. While their previous release 'Flow' was expansive - drawing on the poetry of Airini Beautrais and a collective of musicians - Black Swans is pared back and raw. With lyrics written solely by de Vegt, the EP is grounded in storytelling and emotional vulnerability. Her powerful vocal performances and melodies complement Jellyman’s multi-instrumental compositions, showcasing his skills on bass, synth, brass, guitar and keys.

The result is a strikingly intimate record that sits within the evolving tradition of contemporary New Zealand folk, yet remains firmly rooted in personal experience.

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Check out all things The Flow Collective below:

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Elizabeth de Vegt is a composer, sound artist, singer-songwriter, performer, and researcher based in Whanganui. She is a vocal and piano teacher and holds a Master of Music with First Class Honours from the University of Waikato, where she also completed doctoral research supported by a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship. De Vegt’s work spans contemporary classical, electroacoustic, theatrical, and folk genres. Her compositions have been performed across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and the USA. She is a recipient of the Gill Presland Award for Excellence in Teaching and holds multiple certifications in adult education and professional coaching.

Hamish Jellyman is a Whanganui-based composer, educator, and multi-instrumentalist. He completed a Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance (Trombone) at the New Zealand School of Music and has performed throughout New Zealand, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Australia. His credits include the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Royal NZ Air Force Band, Auckland Jazz Orchestra, and bands such as Niko Ne Zna and Spiral Jazz Collective. Hamish is also a dedicated music educator, teaching in schools across the country and directing jazz and concert bands. His studio work includes recordings with Shapeshifter, Gareth Thomas, and others.

(NEWs)