Fresh Air (Kiwis Leaving Anthem) (Remastered)

[Intro: distant piano, atmospheric pads, intimate female vocal]
Cold morning, mountains in the glass
Same old road that I grew up on
Everybody says we’ve got it good
Maybe they’re right
Maybe something’s wrong
[Verse 1]
Another rent rise, another week
Another job says they’re not hiring me
Coffee costs more, fuel goes up
Pay stays still but it’s never enough
Another mate says, “Bro, I’m gone”
Sydney, Melbourne, somewhere beyond
We laugh about it like we’re alright
Then another plane leaves Friday night
[Pre-Chorus: drums begin building]
I don’t wanna leave
I just wanna live
How much more are we supposed to give?
I love these streets
I love these hills
But…
[Chorus: huge euphoric vocal]
Fresh air don’t pay the bills
Pretty views don’t keep us here
I love this place, I always will
But love don’t make a living here
So we’re flying west, flying west
Chasing something we ain’t found yet
Queenstown beautiful still…
But fresh air don’t pay the bills
But fresh air don’t pay the bills
[DROP 2: bigger, stacked vocals]
Fresh air!
Fresh air!
Don’t pay the bills!
Don’t pay the—
Don’t pay the bills
Don’t pay the—
Don’t pay the bills
(Flying west)
(Flying west)
Fresh air don’t pay the bills
[Verse 2: drums pull back, bass pulse underneath]
CV sent, no reply
“She’ll be right” for the hundredth time
Numbers climb, we’re standing still
Tell me how we’re meant to build
Talking circles in Wellington
While another family packs and runs
We don’t hate home, that’s not the deal
We’re just trying to find something real
[Pre-Chorus]
I don’t wanna leave
I just wanna live
How much more are we supposed to give?
Home is home
And always will—
But…
[Chorus]
Fresh air don’t pay the bills
Pretty views don’t keep us here
I love this place, I always will
But love don’t make a living here
So we’re flying west, flying west
Chasing something we ain’t found yet
Queenstown beautiful still…
But fresh air don’t pay the bills
[DROP 2: bigger, stacked vocals]
Fresh air!
Fresh air!
Don’t pay the bills!
[DROP 2: bigger, stacked vocals]
Fresh air!
Fresh air!
Don’t pay the bills!
Flying west
Flying west
We don’t wanna go
We just wanna live
Fresh air don’t pay the bills
[Bridge: half-time, emotional, stripped back]
Maybe I’ll come home someday
When staying doesn’t mean falling behind
’Cause you can frame these mountains
You can bottle up the sky
But you can’t raise a family
On a postcard life
[Build: rising synths, snare roll]
I don’t wanna leave
I just wanna live
I don’t wanna leave
I just wanna live
Fresh air don’t pay the bills
[FINAL DROP / CHORUS]
Fresh air don’t pay the bills
Pretty views don’t keep us here
I love this place, I always will
But love don’t make a living here
So we’re flying west, flying west
With a little piece of home inside our chest
Queenstown beautiful still…
But fresh air don’t pay the bills
[Outro: piano + distant chopped vocal]
I don’t wanna leave…
I just wanna live…
Fresh air don’t pay the bills.