With her Betty Page 'do and Dolly Parton goes kitsch(er) aesthetic, Tami Neilson's over-the-top yesteryear look compliments her latest album, the aptly named Sassafrass!, spectacularly well. The title of the album is slang for a confident person who is unafraid to speak their mind, and it is brimming with a message that is bigger than her sound.
Merging a sassy blues swagger with jazz, tropicana, rockabilly and soul, underneath Neilson's trademark retro sound is a thoroughly modern message that speaks to the need for gender equality in the 21st century.
If this collision of old and new sounds like a little bit of you, you'll be able to experience Sassafrass! live as Neilson takes it on tour this August. She'll be performing with her band Hot Rockin' Band of Rhythm at the Auckland Town Hall on 4 August and will be supported by country darlings The Miltones.
With a swag of awards including Best Country Album and an APRA Silver Scroll for songwriting, Neilson is a musical tour de force on the New Zealand soundscape and not to be missed.