With “Come Home Darling” out now, we took some time to hear from Paper Mountains. Read below to learn more about Paper Mountains, the story behind “Come Home Darling,” and what’s to come.
Hi Paper Mountains! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
Mountains are a huge part of my songs. All of them are written at the base of a mountain in New Zealand, and I feel like the mountain is part of me as I am part of it. I use it’s imagery a lot in my songs. But really Paper Mountains as a definition means a difficult or insurmountable task, which releasing my own music out into the world felt like after being a Music Producer for almost 20 years.
What city are you from, and where are you based now?
From Wellington, New Zealand where I currently still live.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
From the earliest age I can remember, it’s all I wanted to do. I didn’t think I’d make it as a songwriter/artist, so I pursued being a Music Producer/Audio Engineer. I’ve been doing that for close to 20 years now. I’ve been a full time Music Producer for almost 10 years, and before that, I worked in the film industry on films like the Hobbit Trilogy, Avatar 2, etc.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
If Jack Johnson, Iron and Wine, and Sam Cooke had a baby. Folk, pop with a smattering of soul.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
Immersing myself in the natural world. Hiking, running, cold plunging, meditating, reading, trying to be in the moment as much as possible.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
Iron and Wine, Bon Iver, Gregory Alan Isakov, Dave Dobbyn, Tallest Man On Earth.
Who would be your dream musical collaboration?
My partner, January Blue. I want to get her on one of my songs. Her voice is like an angel. I have produced all her music and co-written songs for her, but we haven’t got her on a Paper Mountains song yet. I’m looking forward to the day that happens, especially as all of these songs are dedications of love with her as the central theme.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
Working on a couple of number 1 records for artists that I grew up admiring like Shapeshifter and Hollie Smith.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
Perfection is unobtainable, and there is beauty in failure.
Now onto your release, “Come Home Darling.” What inspired this song? What is “Come Home Darling” about?
It’s about the longing you have for your beloved when they are away and nothing will fix the hole in your chest until they are back in your arms. I was going through a hard time in the relationship with my partner where we were working through some things and she went away for a few days. While she was away, there was no chance to get us back on track and all I wanted was for her to come home, so we could work on our relationship and get back to a good place. This song was born out of that.
What was the creative process like when making “Come Home Darling?”
Well, I run my own recording studio (Tiny Triumph Recordings), so I was just like a kid in a candy shop, running from one instrument to the next. Just throwing on instruments, removing them, adding more, removing more until it felt right.
How long did it take to complete “Come Home Darling?”
Probably about a year. The initial bones of the song was laid down a year ago, and then I put it on the shelf. When I came back to it, I realised it was way too slow, so I re-recorded everything faster and that’s when it started to feel right. I then got the horn sections laid down and that took it to the next level. It was then that it felt like the single.
What is your favorite lyric in “Come Home Darling” and why?
Maybe “The mirrors show crow feet, and stories I’ve told.” It to me is the moment of looking at yourself and realising that you aren’t the youthful boy you once were, but at the same time, that is just a story. You can be 21 and think you are old, and you can be 40 and still feel youthful. It’s all just a framing.
What message or messages do you hope fans take away from “Come Home Darling” and your music in general?
One of hope and love. I hope people hear someone who is wearing their heart on their sleeve, but being genuine in the feeling tones. There is not a song on this album that is not a deeply personal real life event. This is basically my diary entries for the world to hear.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
Album comes out on March 31st, 2026. It’s called An Olive Tree and a Warm Breeze. The album title single, “Olive Tree,” will be out end of November 2025.
Where can we follow you on social media?
https://www.facebook.com/people/Paper-Mountains/61581719678768/
https://www.instagram.com/thisispapermountains/
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
