MUSIC REVIEW

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There’s a certain kind of honesty that can’t be manufactured and with 5 Year Plan, Ōtautahi artist Lee Martin leans fully into it.

Her latest single arrives as both a confession and a reset sitting in that uneasy space between what was planned and what actually unfolded. It explores the feeling of being suspended between expectation and reality, where timelines blur and clarity doesn’t come as quickly as hoped. This isn’t polished pop.This is reflection. Reckoning. A quiet confrontation with time.

Known around Aotearoafor her soul-rich voice and genre-blurring sound weaving between indie, folk and country, Martin has always drawn listeners in through emotional clarity. But here, there’s a shift.

This time, she’s not just telling a story. She’s sitting inside it.

Around the release, the tone feels grounded as a quiet acknowledgement of process, collaboration, and everything it takes to bring a piece like this into the world. There’s no overstatement. Just presence.

For CM readers, Lee Martin is a familiar name. A past feature, yes but more importantly, an artist evolving in real time. One who continues to document the in-between with honesty and restraint.

5 Year Plan forms part of a wider body of work still to come, offering a glimpse into what feels like a more exposed and intentional chapter ahead. Not everything is resolved. Not everything is meant to be and that’s where its strength lies. This release doesn’t feel like an ending. It truly feels like a turning point.

And if this is the tone of what’s ahead, Lee Martin isn’t just reflecting on the past. She’s rewriting the plan entirely.

As Ōtautahi moves into a new creative era, few artists embody the city’s shifting rhythm quite like Lauren Marshall. Singer, songwriter, model, media multi-hyphenate — she is part of a rising generation reshaping what Canterbury artistry looks and feels like in 2026. Grounded in community yet constantly evolving, Lauren’s trajectory mirrors the momentum of the region itself: bold, collaborative, curious, and unmistakably original.

A Season of Change — and Creative Expansion

For Lauren, 2025 was a defining year — a period of experimentation, relationship-building, and brave reinvention. After returning home in 2021, she wove herself into the cultural fabric of Ōtautahi with intention and grit. Now, standing on the edge of a new cycle, she feels the shift.

“My life tends to run in five-year cycles,” Lauren reflects. “2026 feels expansive — like something new is waiting for me.”

This evolution isn’t just personal; it’s deeply creative. It marks a turning point in how she sees herself, her craft, and the community she calls home.

Defining the Lauren Marshall Sound

One of the most compelling parts of Lauren’s artistry is her refusal to remain static. Her musical DNA is a constellation of influences — pop, soul, blues, jazz, and the theatrical strength of her musical theatre background — paired with the rock edge that shaped her teens.

This year, that fusion sharpened into something bolder.

She’s leaning harder into rock, pushing her writing into new emotional territory, and simultaneously circling back to the world of electronic music. Her DJ training adds a fresh dimension — a future-leaning skill that expands how she can shape sound, space, and performance.

“I’d consider myself a curious person… I want to try it all and see what happens.”

It’s this curiosity that defines the Lauren Marshall sound today: timeless foundations underpinned by modern experimentation and fearless genre play.

The Live Show: An Artist in Motion

If Lauren’s studio work is about blending influences, her live shows are a study in transformation. Each project invites a different version of her — and Canterbury audiences have watched that evolution unfold in real time.

Her LOVETA sets bring vibrant pop energy; her Tadpole performances deliver grit and edge; her stripped-back acoustic gigs reveal the raw, connective warmth at the heart of her voice.

Across all stages, one constant remains: connection.

“My goal is always to bring people into my musical world. To have a blast together.”

As 2026 approaches, expect the unexpected — more guitar, more texture, more personality, and more immersive worlds built through sound.

Music, Modelling, Media — The Marshall Triad

In a city where creative communities overlap naturally, Lauren has built a brand powered by collaboration. Modelling for Portfolio Models led her to photographers, videographers, stylists, and MUAs who became integral to her projects. The music scene connected her to players ready to step into any concept she dreams up. The hospitality world, too, has been part of her creative ecosystem.

It’s pure Ōtautahi synergy — the kind that can only exist in a city where everyone is two introductions away from building something together.

“It’s cool bumping into people when I’m out — whether I’m playing a gig, at a fashion show, or on a shoot. It all overlaps.”

This weaving-together of disciplines has become part of her identity, strengthening her brand as much as her personal relationships.

A New Chapter of Collaboration

While some upcoming partnerships remain under wraps, she’s clear about the creatives who inspire her.

She names Emily C. Browning — one of Ōtautahi’s most respected producers — as someone she’d love to work with. And she highlights Spice Kotiro for the way her multi-disciplinary, vintage-infused fashion world intersects with makeup, styling, and photography.

These aren’t just names; they’re signals of the direction Lauren is heading — bold, genre-crossing, artisanal, and deeply local.

Connection, Vulnerability & Dreaming Out Loud

Behind the performances — whether on stage or onscreen — Lauren’s goal remains beautifully human: to make people feel seen.

“Putting myself on stage is vulnerable. But being authentically myself is important. I want my audience to feel free, connected, present… to forget the heaviness of life and just dream a little.”

Her work invites audiences into the moment — to dance, to feel, to release — and that emotional accessibility is part of what makes her a standout figure in Canterbury’s creative scene.

Ōtautahi’s Creative Pulse — and How It Shaped Her

Canterbury’s artistic community is one of the region’s greatest assets — intimate, generous, and fiercely supportive. For Lauren, it was the perfect launchpad.

“I’m not sure any other region has quite the same vibe. It’s very special.”

This city gave her the confidence to step fully into her craft — a place where collaboration isn’t a strategy but a culture, where emerging artists are embraced, and where innovation thrives through shared energy.

Looking Toward 2026: The Year of Expansion

What does next year hold? Growth — unapologetic and intentional.

“I’m ready to shed some layers and truly expand on what I’ve built.”

Musically, personally, and professionally, 2026 is set to be a landmark year — not only for Lauren, but for the wider Ōtautahi creative landscape she champions so passionately.