‘I believe it’s best to stay humble.’

Troy Kingi speaks to Mike Alexander about his work and life.

‘ Perfect happiness is spending quality time with loved ones, sharing good food in beautiful weather with no pressing matters to attend to.’ TROY KINGI

Troy Kingi has won a Silver Scroll with Stan Walker for their song Aotearoa and is an accomplished actor.

Among his credits is the role of TK in The Hunt For The Wilderpeople. He recently released his second solo album. What am I listening to? To be honest not much, I was smashing Isley Brothers and Al Green compilations leading up to the recording of my album Shake That Skinny Ass All The Way To Zygertron, otherwise my playlist is looking pretty bleak. Perfect happiness is spending quality time with loved ones, sharing good food in beautiful weather with no pressing matters to attend to.

It’s those moments when you genuinely feel like there’s no need to rush and time kind of stands still. My wife. She works full time while still managing our crazy household. Definitely the glue. It takes a lot to embarrass me. I fly domestic in gumboots and look like I’ve just walked out of the bush when I go to town. My creamy white Mexican Tele [guitar]. Not the top of the line but we’ve been through a lot together. I won’t leave home without it. I’m not the best with heights, so I’d say sky diving. Egos – don’t have time for pretentious brown-nosers. I believe it’s best to stay humble. To the beginning of humanity, to know where we came from. Find a job that doesn’t feel like a job. Scuba diving instruction – the only thing I have a degree in. That money or the concept of money was never invented. No plastic. And the selfish one – power of teleportation. ● Shake That Skinny Ass All The Way To Zygertron is out now onAAARecords.