Anna van Riel Comes Home with Wooden Leg

There is something special about an artist returning to where it all began. This Sunday, Anna van Riel officially launches her brand new album Wooden Leg with a homecoming show at Rhyme and Reason, and it feels like a full-circle moment.

Wooden Leg is Anna’s seventh studio album and her first in a decade for grown-up listeners, after becoming a much-loved force in New Zealand’s children’s music scene. Recorded in the heart of Central Otago, the album leans into what Anna calls a “South Island Noir” sound. Think alt-country storytelling, earthy folk textures, and a smoky jazz undercurrent that suits long roads, quiet nights, and wide southern skies.

Across 11 tracks, Wooden Leg shows a deeper vocal range and a confidence that comes with time. From the driving energy of Betty featuring Ryan Fisherman, through to the intimate title track, the album reflects life lived both on the road and at home in the Deep South.

“This album is the music I’ve been waiting to make,” Anna says. “It’s honest, grassroots, and a return to the genres that first taught me how to sing.”

To mark the release, Anna van Riel and The Back Road Revolution will launch the album live at Rhyme and Reason on Sunday, February 1. The show doubles as a celebration and a welcome home, bringing her sound back to the community that shaped it.

Wooden Leg is available on all major digital platforms, with a limited edition 180g vinyl release for collectors, complete with retro-inspired artwork.

A homegrown album, launched at home, with stories that feel unmistakably southern.