Rebecca Robin is one of the resident creatives in Toi Auaha. We caught up with her to check out what she’s up to in the Toi Auaha studios.
How would you describe what you do?
I am a multimedia creative with a background in Māori media. I am a singer, songwriter, and musician, working across music, poetry, storytelling, and writing. I am also a writer in many forms and undertake filming and editing for both my own creative practice and for others. My work spans independent artistic projects and professional creative work.
What was your most recent project?
In 2024, I released my EP Stardust. In 2025, I began producing my podcast Wāhine Wavelength, which focuses on conversations across arts, culture, and community. I have also launched Rebecca Robin Creative, bringing together my music, writing, Māori media background, and professional filming and editing work under one umbrella.
What will you be doing in your Toi Auaha Studio?
I will be using my Toi Auaha studio as a focused creative workspace to finish writing my upcoming album and to continue developing my music and writing practice. The album is being shaped in response to Ōtautahi Christchurch — particularly the city’s experience of earthquakes, resilience, and rebuilding.
The studio will also support the production and development of Wāhine Wavelength, including sound work, editing, planning, and meetings. It will be a base for growing a more sustainable arts practice, including preparation for the release of upcoming singles in 2026 with accompanying visual elements, and for my wider multimedia work.
What project have you worked on that you’re most proud of?
I’m proud of several milestones across my practice. Releasing my EP Stardust in 2024 was a significant achievement for me as an artist, and having two music videos screened on Juice TV was a meaningful moment in my multimedia career. I’m also proud of the work I’ve been developing toward upcoming releases, and I hope that care and intention is reflected in how the new music and visuals are shared.
What is essential for creatives to have in their lives?
Courage, support, and community, grounded in manaakitanga. Creativity isn’t linear, and sustaining a creative practice requires understanding as artists move through different stages of making, pausing, and returning to the work. Supportive relationships and environments that value care, respect, and generosity make a real difference over time.
What inspires you about Ōtautahi Christchurch?
Ōtautahi Christchurch inspires me through its resilience and its ability to adapt and rebuild. I’m inspired by how supportive the city is of the arts and artists, and by the way beauty has been created from the cracks through creativity, community, and care.
What piece of advice about your creative work has served you well?
Keep showing up to the work, even when it’s still in progress. Making time to enjoy the process has been just as important as the work itself, and helps sustain creativity over the long term.
What’s the biggest misconception about your creative work?
I’m not sure there is a single misconception about my work. What people don’t always see is the amount of preparation that goes into it — the years of practice, vocal training, and development that sit behind each performance and project.
What Christchurch artists do you most admire?
There are so many artists in Ōtautahi that I admire — far too many to name. I have a great deal of respect for artists who continue to commit to their practice, because staying in the arts is not easy, and that long-term dedication really matters.
What artwork, piece of music, or performance has taken your breath away?
I’ve been fortunate to grow up around the music, arts, and fashion scene, and have experienced many performances I would describe as life-changing. One of the most recent was the APRA Silver Scrolls event, with Delaney Davidson as musical director. The night stood out for the range of artists involved and the way nominated songs were re-imagined through new performances. Hearing artists reinterpret each other’s work in that setting was a rare musical experience.
What do you wish you’d known about creative work when you were younger?
That validation has to come from within. External recognition — or the lack of it — doesn’t ultimately sustain you, whether the work is celebrated or overlooked. Learning to ground both my creative practice and my sense of self in internal validation has been essential for me.
What’s your favourite hidden secret in Ōtautahi Christchurch?
My arts studio at Toi Auaha. Having a dedicated space within the arts precinct to work, think, and develop projects is something I don’t take for granted, and it’s become a special part of my creative life in Ōtautahi.