From New Zealand To Nashville, Six60 Are True To Their Roots

Six60

Maitu Walters is stoked. “Really stoked,” he emphasises, grinning from ear to ear as he speaks to The Music from his Parramatta hotel room. He's reflecting on the early reception to Right Here, Right Now, the fifth album from his band Six60, which arrived less than a week ago at the time of this interview.

The founder, singer and guitarist of the Dunedin roots-reggae juggernaut has already had hundreds of messages pour in over the last few days from friends, family and fans alike about the new album, which, in case you couldn't already tell, he and his bandmates are exceptionally proud of. “We've been so eager to share this album since we finished recording back in October,” he says.

“I'm already blown away by the response – people are really resonating with the songs, and connecting with the music. That's always the goal.” Of course, the big question still looms ahead of the completion of first-week sales: Are Six60 going to go five from five?

Thus far, all four of their albums have gone to number one in Aotearoa – tying them with luminaries Split Enz and Lorde for most chart-topping LPs ever. If they reach five, they will tie with just one other artist – Christchurch classical singer Hayley Westenra. Is Walters confident in getting back on top? “I dunno man, but it'd be cool,” he replies sheepishly.

“We've been doing this long enough that the game is completely different every time we release an album. It's kind of educational, in a way. Look, we'll see what happens. It'd be really cool, but if not? Oh well.” Of course, by the time this interview is published, we'll know if the band picked up number five in the number-ones department – so, a huge congratulations to Six60! Or: There's always next time, boys.

For the moment, let's focus on Right Here, Right Now. The follow-up to 2022's Castle St initially came together with a rejuvenated mentality and sense of perspective – seeking a stress-free, conducive creative environment in order to make something that felt not only fresh, but fun.

“Where my head's been at with this record... I think about, in the past, how much unnecessary suffering there was around making music,” says Walters. “It's self-imposed a lot of the time; you just want it to go well so bad that you're overthinking everything. This time around, I was just like, 'fuck it, I just want to have heaps of fun. I don't want to measure this thing on hard work alone – anyone can do that'. The album actually happened really fast, but it wasn't rushed.”

Right Here, Right Now's rollout was led with the release of the single We Made It in December of 2025 – becoming the band's 31st top-40 hit in the process. The sunny track sees Walters and co. reflect on where they've ended up after over 15 years in the game, and in turn, representing two of the album's key themes: Gratitude and responsibility.

“I wrote it in the first session I did for the album, with my producer, Malay and David Hodges. The themes presented themselves straightaway – I love to write about the human experience, and it becomes more potent as I get older. Believe it or not, We Made It was this big, scary song to me. I get scared when something is really good – I'm like, 'this is a big song, dude' – but I've learned that my fear is also my signal to go for it. If I'm scared of it, it must be on the album.”

Walters also spent time working with co-writers in Nashville on other songs that would make it onto the album, with Right Here, Right Now also sporting writing credits from Yelawolf, Trey Campbell and Mikky Ekko (aka Rihanna's duet partner on Stay).

Despite it being very understandable if Walters felt like a fish out of water so far away from home, his recounting of the experience is a wholly positive one. “I was really kind of amazed at the similarities I found between Nashville and home,” he says.

“It was so warm and welcoming, and the storytelling in the songwriting is so real. There's so much of a connection between roots-reggae music in its purest form and country in its purest form – more than people think.”

Walters notes that the experience has allowed him to be a better collaborator and, by proxy, a better songwriter overall: “There's so much music that can't be made alone in my bedroom,” he says. “I want to taste all the flavours. I used to shy away from it – maybe it was out of fear, or inadequacy, maybe. I'm long enough in the tooth now to know who I am and what I'm good at, and there's so much more I want to learn and experience.”

With another album in the can, and potentially a fifth number-one to go with it, it's time for Six60 to get back to what they do best: Playing live to anyone who'll listen.

Having already kicked off the year curating their own festival, Sweet Home Aotearoa at Matakana Country Park, the band are now looking ahead to headlining Homegrown festival in Hamilton next month and playing the 30,000-capacity Te Kaha stadium in Christchurch this May – which, not for nothing, is already sold out months ahead of time. There's plenty more where that came from, too, which – once again – has Walters really stoked.

“There's a real sense of possibility in our universe right now,” he says. “I know people say this a lot about their new albums, but I just know this is the best work we've done and these are the best songs I've ever written. I'm in love with it. I want to share this music with everyone, so I anticipate a really busy and really fun year ahead.” All kicking off with another number-one, right? Walters grins. “Hey, people!” he calls out to nobody in particular. “Ya got ya vinyl yet?”

Right Here, Right Now is out now.