Kahu S-B

This interview was recorded on the 1st of October, 2024.

At just 19, Kahu Sanson-Burnett is already making a name for himself in Aotearoa’s indie and pop electronic scenes. Whether through his work in the Nelson-based band Parallel Park or his pop-electronic project JOLA BURNS, Kahu has proven himself to be a multi-talented musician with a knack for collaboration. I’ve been following Parallel Park for years, but Kahu’s work with JOLA BURNS was a new discovery for me—so I sat down to catch up on his journey so far.

Parallel Beginnings
Kahu, a Nelson native, got his start early. He and Parallel Park’s lead singer Florence first crossed paths back in intermediate school, auditioning for a school rock band. “We both auditioned in Year 7,” Kahu told me, “and we just kept playing through intermediate and into high school.” With guitarist Ethan joining them in Year 8, the core trio formed what would eventually become Parallel Park.

The group stuck together throughout high school, even as they attended different schools across Whakatū Nelson. Thanks to practice space at NMIT, they were able to hone their sound and participate in Smokefree Rockquest every year. By 2023, they had placed well enough to use their prize money to shoot their first music video, “Can We Talk,” which became an unexpected success on YouTube.

“We were lucky to work with Darcy Lawry, a filmmaker from Nelson,” Kahu said, reflecting on the experience. “It was our first music video, and Darcy did an amazing job.” The video garnered over 250,000 views, though Kahu remains humble about the numbers. “I’m still not sure where all those plays came from—maybe bots?” he joked. “But it definitely motivated us to keep making more music and videos.”

Distance Makes the Band Grow Stronger
One of the biggest challenges facing Parallel Park right now is distance. With members scattered across the globe—Florence is currently based in Amsterdam—long-distance collaboration has become the norm for the band. “We write a lot by sending ideas back and forth,” Kahu explained. “Either Ethan or I will come up with a guitar idea and send it to Floss. She’ll have a jam on her guitar in Amsterdam, send it back, and I’ll start building from there.”

Their latest single, Good Terms, was recorded the day before Florence left the country, which led me to wonder if the song’s title was a hint at the band’s future. “Yeah, I’ve heard that a bit,” Kahu said, laughing. “But no, it wasn’t any kind of farewell. We’re actually planning to get back together at the end of the year to play Nelson’s New Year’s Eve celebration.”
*Parallel Park also went on to play Rhythm and Vines just one day before coming back to play Nelson's New Year Eve celebration.

Introducing JOLA BURNS
While Parallel Park has been Kahu’s mainstay, his other project, JOLA BURNS, shows another side of his creativity. Formed as a collaboration with his cousin Alyahna (who goes by Imani-J), JOLA BURNS is a pop-electronic duo that blends beat-driven production with catchy hooks. “We’ve been writing music together for a while,” Kahu said. “But we started making more serious music in 2022 when we entered Rockquest.”

Although JOLA BURNS didn’t progress far in 2022, their perseverance paid off in 2023 when they reached the national finals. This recognition pushed them forward, landing them spots in high-profile gigs like Soundsplash and the TSB Festival of Lights. “It’s a different vibe from Parallel Park, but it’s been really exciting to explore electronic music in this way,” Kahu said.

Studying and Shaping Music
Currently based in Pōneke Wellington, Kahu is studying Commercial Music at Massey University, a degree that he feels aligns perfectly with his career aspirations. “After being in Parallel Park and JOLA BURNS, I knew I wanted to make music my career. Massey’s program offered a mix of practical audio engineering skills, which really appealed to me.”

Though his studies haven’t drastically changed how he approaches music, Kahu said the connections he’s made have been invaluable. “I’ve met so many people—uni bands, solo artists—and I’ve been able to do quite a bit of production work for them. It’s been a great way to expand my skills and build a network.”

Looking Ahead
Balancing two bands and a full-time degree is no easy task, but Kahu seems to handle it with grace. While Parallel Park is gearing up for more gigs, including their New Year’s Eve show, Kahu admitted he’s taken a short break from JOLA BURNS recently. “I felt a bit burnt out,” he said, candidly. “But with any creative project, it comes in waves. I find Parallel Park stuff easier to write—it’s more guitar-based, and that’s where I’m most comfortable. With JOLA BURNS, it’s more about beat-making, which is a different process for me.”

Looking to the future, Kahu is excited about what’s next for both projects. Parallel Park may be scattered for now, but with some members planning to move to Wellington next year, the band could soon be playing more regularly on local stages. As for JOLA BURNS, with a lineup of summer festivals ahead, there’s no doubt Kahu will continue to push boundaries in both the indie rock and pop-electronic worlds.

You can follow Kahu S-B on Instagram @kahu.sb and at @parallelparknz @jolaburnsmusic