Kiwi teen becomes youngest New Zealander to feature on US Billboard charts

April 20, 2021

At just 15, Flynn Cranston helped produce a global hit single from his bedroom.

A Kiwi teen has made music history after becoming the youngest New Zealander to feature on the US Billboard charts.

At just 15 years old, Flynn Cranston has helped produce a global hit single - from his bedroom.

“It still really hasn't set in cause it's all happening so quick,” he said.

Flynn became the youngest Kiwi to have his name in the US Billboard music charts after co-producing hit single Richer by American rappers Rod Wave and Polo G.

“I was actually wanting to work with [Rod Wave] and I had no idea how I was going to get to him but it just happened like that,” he explained.

The teenager provided the beat and melody for the track from his home studio in Katikati.

“It's really weird how the music industry works nowadays so you've got me making melodies on my guitar and you could have someone on the other side of the world work on the other part and then send it off to managers and then they get the beats to the people so it's like a long chain of working.”

It comes after South Auckland teen Jawsh 685 shot to fame last year after making a track from his bedroom, which was sampled on a UK chart smasher by pop sensation Jason Derulo.

“For the kids who are happy to contribute drums or a guitar part or do some co-production work on a record, they can find themselves in some really interesting situations, especially if they've got the right management support around them,” music journalist Martyn Pepperell explained.

Flynn’s interim manager is his dad Phil, who “does a lot of the work - it's great ‘cause he doesn't charge anything”.

“I was a high school teacher in the past so used to organising things but it does feel like it's on another scale altogether,” Phil said.

Flynn now has his sights on working with more artists, both here and abroad.

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