BIOGRAPHY

Tom Cunliffe is a New Zealand-based folk artist whose evocative storytelling and diverse musical palette have captivated audiences both locally and internationally.

His debut album, Howl & Whisper (2016), is a traveler’s notebook, filled with midnight conversations and whiskey-warmed choruses. Produced by Ben Edwards at his Lyttelton studio, the songs shift between delicacy and abandon. The melodies trace familiar folk lines, but with lyrics that take unexpected turns—like a wandering poet taking the long way home.

In 2018, Cunliffe released his sophomore effort, Template for Love, collaborating with the Yarra Benders, known for their work with Marlon Williams. This partnership infused the album with dynamic energy, stretching the boundaries of folk into something rockier, wilder, more chaotic, yet still deeply committed to storytelling.

His third album, Secret Exhibition (2021), marked a return to more acoustic roots, blending nylon-string guitars and pianos to create an intimate atmosphere. Produced by Dave Khan and recorded over five days at The Lab, the album is stripped back but never simple—quiet, yet never still. The songs pulse with an unspoken tension, a push-and-pull between the known and the unknown, the old world and the new.

A constant traveler, Cunliffe has shared the stage with the likes of M. Ward, Grace Cummings, and Reb Fountain. Onstage, his presence is easygoing and disarming—like an old friend pulling up a chair. His songs, though, often lead audiences into darker realms, guiding them through mysterious worlds awash with all the chaos and drama of human existence.