Frankie Venter Releases her Debut EP, a big deal to me
Frankie Venter Releases her Debut EP, a big deal to me
February 13th, 2026
Rising New Zealand pop artist Frankie Venter today releases her debut EP a big deal to me, marking a defining moment in the early stages of her career. The release follows a standout year that has seen Frankie build a fast-growing global audience, tour internationally, and establish herself as one of Aotearoa’s most exciting new pop voices.
Over the past 12 months, Frankie has performed across New Zealand, Australia, and the United States, including a personal invitation from Coldplay to open two sold-out Eden Park shows, touring with Six60, and a strong summer festival run featuring Rolling Meadows and Coro Classic, with Electric Avenue locked in as her next major appearance. She was recently nominated for Best Pop Artist at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards and has just completed a sold-out tour across New Zealand and Australia with US artist Malcolm Todd, concluding two days before the EP’s release.
Crafted across 2025, a big deal to me was created alongside frequent collaborator Rory Noble, founder of Frankie’s label Five AM. The project also features production and co-writing from Grammy-nominated producer M-Phazes (Ruel, Lucky Daye, Noah Cyrus), Josh Naley (Wells), Emma Wagner (Emerson), and Aubrie Mitchell. The EP reflects Frankie’s genre-blending approach, moving fluidly between pop and alternative influences while maintaining a cohesive narrative throughout.
“I wrote a lot of this ep with the incredible Josh Naley & Rory Noble when we locked ourselves in studio day after day & ended up writing some of my favourites lyrics & songs i’ve ever written. I have always been so nervous about making a full project like this – I think I didn’t have the belief & trust in myself that i could create something like this & build a whole world for it. But we did & I believe in these songs so much and creating this ep has been so empowering – writing about the hardest things ive ever had to go through and turning them into something that i am so proud of. Lots of crying & processing & reflecting during writing this whole process over the last 5 months & it has been so very healing. I hope people listening love it as much as i do.”
At its core, a big deal to me is a coming-of-age record. The EP traces Frankie’s transition from leaving home into a rapidly moving career, navigating independence, relationships, and the emotional shifts that come with sudden momentum. The project opens in a place of uncertainty, shaped by miscommunication and emotional imbalance, before moving into a more assured and self-aware middle chapter. As the EP unfolds, moments of confidence give way to reflection and clarity, ultimately arriving at a quiet resolution that acknowledges love, loss, and growth as part of the same journey.
The title references both the scale of the moment and the personal story behind it — acknowledging that while the EP represents a major step forward, it is ultimately grounded in a love that once mattered deeply. ‘Real To Me’ closes the project as a quiet resolution to that chapter.
Following the EP’s release, Frankie will headline a 7-date tour across Aotearoa before taking the project to Australia in May.