Not many artists arrive at a debut album after spending time stunt doubling for Hollywood actors and working on major international productions, but Greta van den Brink has never followed a conventional path.
In fact, she wasn’t planning on making an album at all.
The New Zealand artist’s debut release, This Wasn’t Planned, takes its name from exactly that reality. What began as a week of songwriting with producer Noema Te Hau III quickly turned into something much bigger.
“On day two, after our first coffee, Noema looked at me and said, ‘I don’t want to scare you, but I think we’re writing an album,'” Greta recalls.
Up until then, neither of them had set out to create a full-length project. But as the songs kept coming, it became clear there was a bigger story unfolding.
“I think I had a lot of stories I was ready to tell.”
Those stories sit at the heart of This Wasn’t Planned. Across the album, Greta explores love, ambition, identity, heartbreak and change through songs that blend Americana, indie-pop and soft rock influences. Fans of artists such as Kacey Musgraves, Stevie Nicks, Miley Cyrus and Ella Langley will find plenty to connect with here.
The spirit of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours was never far away during the making of the record either.
“It felt like Stevie Nicks was following us around,” Greta laughs. “Everywhere we went there seemed to be a quote or a picture of her.”
That influence can be heard throughout the album, not in imitation, but in its commitment to honest storytelling and songs that aren’t afraid to wear their emotions openly.
For those familiar with Greta’s work outside music, the move into songwriting might seem unexpected. Before stepping fully into music, she built a career as an actress and stunt performer, working on productions including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Time Bandits. Her song “Road to Hell” was also featured in the television series Territory, further connecting her worlds of screen and songwriting.
That cinematic background naturally finds its way into the music. The songs on This Wasn’t Planned feel vivid and visual, unfolding like scenes from a film rather than simple snapshots in time.
What makes the album particularly compelling, though, is how unforced it feels. There’s no grand concept or carefully manufactured origin story behind it. Just a songwriter discovering she had something to say, and a collection of songs that refused to stay unwritten.
For a debut album that wasn’t supposed to exist, This Wasn’t Planned feels remarkably sure of itself.
Sometimes the best plans are the ones you never make.
This Wasn’t Planned is available now on all major streaming platforms.