NEW ZEALAND ALTERNATIVE ARTIST WILL SWINTON PLEADS FOR FORGIVENESS ON “HATE MY GUTS”
New Zealand alternative breakout Will Swinton shares his heartwrenching post-breakup anthem, “Hate My Guts”. Out now on 10K Projects / Capitol Records, the single is an open plea for absolution, and yet another showcase for the rising artist’s stormy full-band sound, strikingly weathered voice, and unabashedly vulnerable writing.
The new music follows the announcement of the Will Swinton & Band North American Tour, which kicks off at Lollapalooza on August 2, and wraps at Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn on August 26. Itinerary below and info HERE. Will recently shared a recap of his spring run on the Australian leg of mgk’s blockbuster lost americana tour. The pair even sang mgk’s “papercuts” together — a full-circle moment, as mgk gave Will his first major cosign four years ago. Last week, Will also made his Paris Fashion Week runway debut, walking for 424.
Written by Will with Nick Lopez and producer Joe Reeves, “Hate My Guts” captures complex feelings in the wake of lost love. As the guitar carves out an open, lonesome space and the drums hit like a ticking clock, Will’s vocal arrives dusty and cracked, full of ache and yearning. “So tell me, is it too late now?” he pleads. But he’s not looking to get back together. “You should know I’m not too proud, I know that I f*cked things up / It’s okay to call me out, but you don’t have to hate my guts.”
“Hate My Guts” follows May’s “Only One,” a heartstring-tugging single that captures the blissful desperation of being hopelessly strung out on love. Before that was February’s “Better Off” — a cinematically evolving song that wrestles with the choice to let go of a meaningful relationship — and the soaring “Find a Way,” which 1883 Magazine raved, “perfectly encapsulates a vision of ethereal rock centered on an exhilarating live performance and melody that you couldn’t forget if you tried.”
Taken together, the new songs confirm Will has arrived at his own brand of alternative rock music, unapologetically building on the wintry acoustic beauty of his breakout December EP, but without sacrificing an ounce of meaning or feeling. As Will told Behind the Blinds in his recent feature, “I spent the whole of 2025 finding a sound that I love, and I’m excited to release it into the world.”
Will’s star rose steeply across 2025. As he opened the year, PEOPLE championed him as an emerging artist to watch and called him “a star in the making.” Then, shortly after Will wrapped his warmly received debut run of U.S. headliners, Kelly Clarkson performed a surprise “Kellyoke” cover of his deeply felt Americana strummer “Flames” on The Kelly Clarkson Show — watch HERE. She also told her massive audience, “If you haven’t heard his music yet, there is no time like the present. Look him up!” Then, last May, after opening for Myles Smith in Auckland, Will was pulled back onstage for an impromptu duet of Smith’s smash hit “Stargazing”.
Due to fan demand, Will closed out last year by bringing his older song “Daydream” up to date, pairing a riveting vocal performance with spare, grungy guitar in the gorgeously shot “Daydream (Stripped)” video. His rise only continued into 2026, starting with him opening for The Kid Laroi at the Australian Open. For those who haven’t yet had the chance to see Will perform in person, he recently shared a stunning live cover of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”
Already a mainstay on the Hot 20 New Zealand Singles Chart thanks to songs like “Daydream” (#5) and the undeniable 2024 folk-pop gem “Can’t Let Go” (#7), Will Swinton is clearly emerging as a global force. With each new song, he takes one more confident step into his exciting next chapter.
Will Swinton Live Dates
Aug 02 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza Chicago 2026
Aug 04 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry
Aug 06 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake Lounge
Aug 07 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Aug 07 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
Aug 08 – Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club
Aug 10 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
Aug 11 – Portland, OR @ Holocene
Aug 13 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
Aug 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
Aug 16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
Aug 19 – Austin, TX @ Austin, TX
Aug 20 – Dallas, TX @ Dada Dallas
Aug 22 – Atlanta, GA @ Purgatory at The Masquerade
Aug 24 – Washington, DC @ DC9
Aug 25 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA
Aug 26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
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