What began as a few friends jamming has become Home Sweet Homies, a six-piece band based in Nelson.
The band released their debut EP, Brighter Future, in March this year, described as “songs to bring hope, motivation, and remind people of who they truly are”. Brighter Future is a burst of optimism delivered through polished pop-rock. Influenced by artists like Twenty One Pilots, Vulfpeck and Forrest Frank, Home Sweet Homies have a fun and energetic sound.
Guitarist Drew Sparks-Cropp anchors the sound with punchy riffs and sharp solos on songs like FIRE! and He’s On Your Side, as well as more lilting fingerwork and fun strum patterns in Daisy. Keyboardist Jedidiah Bensemann shines on A Heart That’s Empty, opening with a reflective piano line before the song swells into an anthemic pop ballad. His production is tight and finely layered on every track. Joy Gutschlag’s vocals are versatile and expressive – bright and playful, but with a rasp and grit that bring emotional depth when she leans in – and Kaitlyn Rodley’s voice brings some beautiful, sweet harmonies. Hamish Thomson’s dynamic drumming gives each song shape and movement, keeping it fresh and interesting, and bassist Regan Daly locks in tightly with catchy basslines, like the one that opens Just Breathe.
Lyrically, the EP is wholesome and grounded – the kind of stuff you could happily play in front of your kids or your grandma. The songs carry themes of hope and faith: “Look to the light and you’ll be free” (Just Breathe) and “There’s a brighter future / There are good things ahead” (Daisy).
Between them, the “homies” (as they call each other) span half a dozen church communities across Nelson and Christchurch. Many of us will recognise Hamish from all the times he’s volunteered his talents on the drums and mixing board at Convergence Camp or Leadership Camp – or, this past weekend, at Spring Camp!
I had the honour of asking the band a few questions about their music, faith and future.
Kaitlyn: Lyrics that are about God but don’t explicitly say his name are actually really powerful – they get played on the radio and in venues that are not Christian, but they speak of the hope and truth that we find in Jesus. Some of our songs do speak of the Lord, but some are more subtle and when we play them, we’re worshipping, whether the crowd knows it or not. The prayer is that the songs spark hope in people – we all need hope! – and lead them to the truth of Jesus.
Hamish: I've been a part of worship bands since I first picked up instruments, so faith and music feel like one in the same for me. I get so much joy from playing alongside such talented musicians and getting to play in venues where you can connect with non Christians through music.
Joy: Brighter Future is the first of hopefully much more music to come! It means a lot to us to be able to put out music that brings hope to people in a world where people feel stuck. There are so many struggling with anxiety, depression, hopelessness and to be able to share hope through these songs is so important to us. Brighter Future is a reminder that all is not lost, that in the midst there is hope.
Jed: My favourite song from the album is A Heart That’s Empty, Which came out of a writing session in August 2022. I think a lot of people feel empty inside and are trying to keep busy or distracted to avoid addressing it. I love how the song just starts straight away with the question: “How do you fill a heart that’s empty?”
Joy: I would share Daisy (a classic Joy song), because the words of that song are so close to my heart. It’s in honour of my sister who went through a really really hard mental illness battle, and when you’re in that space it can feel like there’s no end and no hope. The song is upbeat and fun! The opposite of how so many people feel.
Hamish: This is a trick question, like picking a favourite child. I love them all equally. But for different reasons. Lyrically I like A Heart That's Empty. For live performance, He's On Your Side takes the cake. Instrumentally it would have to be Just Breathe. The grooviest dance track is for sure Daisy. And FIRE! holds a very special place in my heart as it is the first song I really played a part in writing.
Hamish: Madison Square Garden (because the vibes and audience volume would be so grand), Red Rock Amphitheatre (because playing in such an old venue would be surreal), and inside an anechoic chamber (because the idea of hearing instruments as clean as they can be fascinates me).
Kaitlyn: The one where we brought a pony inside, and it unfortunately left us a gift on the floor. We sat on hay bales while we improvised and were all dressed up as cowboys and cowgirls. It was a very memorable and ridiculous night! Some fun music came out of it.
Hamish: There have been many weird and wonderful jam nights over the years but a memorable one for me was when there was some painting being done at the YWAM base (where we were practicing at the time) and the singers seemed to keep riffing off it and making a rap which keeps coming back as a joke song. Keep your eyes out for our hit track Wet Paint!
Jed: We’re preparing for our upcoming end of year concert which we have each year called “A Night With The Homies”. It’s a fun night of music, dancing, and free dessert for everyone! You don’t need to buy tickets – just show up, it’s a free event for all ages. This year it’s on 6 December at Holy Trinity in Richmond on 27 Dorset Street. We would love to see you there! There will be a donation box which is going towards getting the band up to Festival One in Hamilton in January, as we have been given the awesome opportunity to play at.
You can listen to Home Sweet Homies on Spotify, Apple Music and more. Visit their website to find out more about them.
Some of the members of Home Sweet Homies are also releasing solo music.
Kaitlyn just released her first original EP, What Grows Here, indie acoustic worship that speaks about what life is like walking with God.
Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Joy has released an original song, Beautiful, written for her friend who battled through mental illness. Joy also releases regular short videos of new original songs and cover songs on her social media.
Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Drew and his brother Bryn are a two-piece rock band called Runaway. This year they have released three singles, and have put on a few concerts in the Nelson area.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
We have invited these writers to share their experiences, ideas and opinions in the hope that these will provoke thought, challenge you to go deeper and inspire you to put your faith into action. These articles should not be taken as the official view of the Nelson Diocese on any particular matter.
What began as a few friends jamming has become Home Sweet Homies, a six-piece band based in Nelson.
The band released their debut EP, Brighter Future, in March this year, described as “songs to bring hope, motivation, and remind people of who they truly are”. Brighter Future is a burst of optimism delivered through polished pop-rock. Influenced by artists like Twenty One Pilots, Vulfpeck and Forrest Frank, Home Sweet Homies have a fun and energetic sound.
Guitarist Drew Sparks-Cropp anchors the sound with punchy riffs and sharp solos on songs like FIRE! and He’s On Your Side, as well as more lilting fingerwork and fun strum patterns in Daisy. Keyboardist Jedidiah Bensemann shines on A Heart That’s Empty, opening with a reflective piano line before the song swells into an anthemic pop ballad. His production is tight and finely layered on every track. Joy Gutschlag’s vocals are versatile and expressive – bright and playful, but with a rasp and grit that bring emotional depth when she leans in – and Kaitlyn Rodley’s voice brings some beautiful, sweet harmonies. Hamish Thomson’s dynamic drumming gives each song shape and movement, keeping it fresh and interesting, and bassist Regan Daly locks in tightly with catchy basslines, like the one that opens Just Breathe.
Lyrically, the EP is wholesome and grounded – the kind of stuff you could happily play in front of your kids or your grandma. The songs carry themes of hope and faith: “Look to the light and you’ll be free” (Just Breathe) and “There’s a brighter future / There are good things ahead” (Daisy).
Between them, the “homies” (as they call each other) span half a dozen church communities across Nelson and Christchurch. Many of us will recognise Hamish from all the times he’s volunteered his talents on the drums and mixing board at Convergence Camp or Leadership Camp – or, this past weekend, at Spring Camp!
I had the honour of asking the band a few questions about their music, faith and future.
Kaitlyn: Lyrics that are about God but don’t explicitly say his name are actually really powerful – they get played on the radio and in venues that are not Christian, but they speak of the hope and truth that we find in Jesus. Some of our songs do speak of the Lord, but some are more subtle and when we play them, we’re worshipping, whether the crowd knows it or not. The prayer is that the songs spark hope in people – we all need hope! – and lead them to the truth of Jesus.
Hamish: I've been a part of worship bands since I first picked up instruments, so faith and music feel like one in the same for me. I get so much joy from playing alongside such talented musicians and getting to play in venues where you can connect with non Christians through music.
Joy: Brighter Future is the first of hopefully much more music to come! It means a lot to us to be able to put out music that brings hope to people in a world where people feel stuck. There are so many struggling with anxiety, depression, hopelessness and to be able to share hope through these songs is so important to us. Brighter Future is a reminder that all is not lost, that in the midst there is hope.
Jed: My favourite song from the album is A Heart That’s Empty, Which came out of a writing session in August 2022. I think a lot of people feel empty inside and are trying to keep busy or distracted to avoid addressing it. I love how the song just starts straight away with the question: “How do you fill a heart that’s empty?”
Joy: I would share Daisy (a classic Joy song), because the words of that song are so close to my heart. It’s in honour of my sister who went through a really really hard mental illness battle, and when you’re in that space it can feel like there’s no end and no hope. The song is upbeat and fun! The opposite of how so many people feel.
Hamish: This is a trick question, like picking a favourite child. I love them all equally. But for different reasons. Lyrically I like A Heart That's Empty. For live performance, He's On Your Side takes the cake. Instrumentally it would have to be Just Breathe. The grooviest dance track is for sure Daisy. And FIRE! holds a very special place in my heart as it is the first song I really played a part in writing.
Hamish: Madison Square Garden (because the vibes and audience volume would be so grand), Red Rock Amphitheatre (because playing in such an old venue would be surreal), and inside an anechoic chamber (because the idea of hearing instruments as clean as they can be fascinates me).
Kaitlyn: The one where we brought a pony inside, and it unfortunately left us a gift on the floor. We sat on hay bales while we improvised and were all dressed up as cowboys and cowgirls. It was a very memorable and ridiculous night! Some fun music came out of it.
Hamish: There have been many weird and wonderful jam nights over the years but a memorable one for me was when there was some painting being done at the YWAM base (where we were practicing at the time) and the singers seemed to keep riffing off it and making a rap which keeps coming back as a joke song. Keep your eyes out for our hit track Wet Paint!
Jed: We’re preparing for our upcoming end of year concert which we have each year called “A Night With The Homies”. It’s a fun night of music, dancing, and free dessert for everyone! You don’t need to buy tickets – just show up, it’s a free event for all ages. This year it’s on 6 December at Holy Trinity in Richmond on 27 Dorset Street. We would love to see you there! There will be a donation box which is going towards getting the band up to Festival One in Hamilton in January, as we have been given the awesome opportunity to play at.
You can listen to Home Sweet Homies on Spotify, Apple Music and more. Visit their website to find out more about them.
Some of the members of Home Sweet Homies are also releasing solo music.
Kaitlyn just released her first original EP, What Grows Here, indie acoustic worship that speaks about what life is like walking with God.
Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Joy has released an original song, Beautiful, written for her friend who battled through mental illness. Joy also releases regular short videos of new original songs and cover songs on her social media.
Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
Drew and his brother Bryn are a two-piece rock band called Runaway. This year they have released three singles, and have put on a few concerts in the Nelson area.
Check out other articles in the
series below.
More articles in the
series are to come.
