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Rising Aotearoa singer-songwriter Beth Elsden returns with her most expansive release yet, ‘Peace Comes With It‘, out today. Blending shimmering pop textures with intimate, diary-like storytelling, the track captures Elsden’s gift for turning quiet personal moments into something widescreen and cinematic.

Written by Beth Elsden and produced by Dunedin-based artist and longtime collaborator Abby Wolfe, ‘Peace Comes With It’ began life as a simple guitar song, almost folk in its origin, before evolving into something far bigger. Mixed and mastered by Emily Wheatcroft-Snape, the final track becomes a striking sonic contrast between tension and tenderness, pairing marching snares and distorted guitars with dreamy strings and muted piano.

“I was asked to write a song about peace which felt like a lofty task with the state of the world,” says Elsden. “Reluctant to write a cheesy ‘We are the world’ type of song, I started thinking about what peace means to me. I ended up writing an existential love song that settles on the idea that I will take all of the chaotic aspects of the world as long as I can have the beautiful aspects too.”

The result is a bittersweet anthem for anyone feeling overwhelmed – a reminder that hope can still exist, even when everything feels loud and uncertain. At its emotional centre is Elsden’s favourite lyric: “Run for the hills but my darling look back before you do. In the stillness I can see the good, I see it in you.”

Though Beth initially hesitated to fully produce the track, it quickly became a standout. “It turned out to be the favourite song of my producer Abby,” she explains. What began as a minimal arrangement soon expanded into a richly layered world, reflecting the push and pull between despair and belief, escapism and gratitude.

‘Peace Comes With It’ also offers a glimpse into Elsden’s forthcoming debut project, The Waiting Room EP, a body of work shaped by five years of quiet development. Inspired by her musical theatre and choral background, Elsden leans into harmonies, vocal layering, and dramatic melodic arcs, creating a sound that will resonate with fans of Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Lizzy McAlpine, Maisie Peters, and Gretta Ray.

The Waiting Room EP explores the emotional purgatory of feeling stuck – watching life move forward for everyone else while you’re still building, healing, and becoming. ‘Peace Comes With It’ lands as a key moment in the EP’s arc, finding clarity and appreciation amid the mess, before closing on a renewed sense of confidence and self-assurance.

‘Peace Comes With It’ is Beth’s second ever release following her captivating debut ‘Losing You Slow’. Through this release she continues to establish herself as one of Aotearoa’s most compelling new voices, writing for anyone still in the process of blooming, and proving that even the waiting room can be beautiful.

‘Peace Comes With It’ is out on all streaming platforms now. Listen here!

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