Hailing from Kirikiriroa/Hamilton in Aotearoa/New Zealand, KATCHAFIRE weaves a universal tapestry of sound, drawing from the rich foundations of classic roots reggae, R’n’B, funk, and modern dancehall. Their music is a fusion of catchy pop hooks, infectious grooves, and uplifting vibes, crafting a universal vibe in reggae music.
With a discography that spans six studio albums and a remixed/remastered album, KATCHAFIRE has left an indelible mark on the reggae scene. Each release carries their signature blend of authenticity and innovation. Their talent has been recognized with multiple awards, and their albums have achieved platinum status. Their music resonates with fans across the globe.
With platinum sales, hit singles, and a massive fanbase selling out shows around the world, 2026 sees KATCHAFIRE continue to expand and tour around the world again.
Their sound is built on the foundations of classic roots reggae with an R’n’B and funk rub, fusing modern dancehall with catchy pop, infectious grooves, and uplifting vibes.
Built on a family movement, it all started when lead guitarist Grenville Bell moved into an apartment building in town with his then-teenage sons where they could make music all night, and the rest is history.
After countless jams and sold-out concerts, they swelled to an eight-piece collective of multi-talented songwriters and musicians and became a staple on Pacific Roots scenes around the world.
KATCHAFIRE’s popularity and critical acclaim has seen them share the stage with artists from Damien Marley, Steel Pulse, UB40, and The Wailers to Michael Franti and Spearhead, among many others. They've garnered respect from the likes of Don Letts, acclaimed documentary maker and Clash tour DJ, music journalist David Katz, and have been championed on the airwaves by radio legends such as Steve Barker (BBC), Charlie Gillett (BBC), and David Rodigan (Kiss FM and others), to name a few.
Through the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, KATCHAFIRE spent time in Aotearoa studios recording new music and looked forward to their first overseas shows since the pandemic began. Katchafire have long been prolific international tourers, and 2021 was the first year the band did not tour overseas in more than eighteen years.
Not resting on their laurels while international borders were closed, Katchafire released two new singles, “Circle Back” and “Whaingaroa,” as well as re-releasing their “100” single from the Legacy album in Te Reo (Māori language) as part of the Waiata / Anthems documentary series — “Karawhiua.”
They released “Always With You” in 2022, and in 2024 released a cover of “Magic (What She Do),” originally by renowned New Zealander Dave Dobbyn, in June. They followed that with the original single “Commit” in July and “Seriously (Revived Version)” in November 2024.
Twenty years after its original release, Katchafirebegan working on an epic project to revive their platinum debut album “Revival”, releasing remixed and remastered tracks in 2025 ahead of the “Revival 2.0 Remixed & Remastered” album release in January 2026, seeing the original tracks remixed by founding member Logan Bell along with engineer Philip McFarlane (Earthkry) and producer Stephen ‘Dubklaat’ Maxwell from Jamaica.Speaking about the ‘Revival’ album, Logan said:
“When the album came out it was at the beginning of a massive reggae resurgence, and our message was for the under-represented, oppressed and down-trodden, speaking directly to like-minded people. We were igniting and raising consciousness using reggae music to push our message to the world to where it needed to be. It became a journey of meeting people and touching hearts with all the blessing of fruits of the king’s music.”
“Originally recorded around 2000, the ‘Revival’ album was the band’s first time together in a studio, our first time tracking and mixing and they weren’t as hands-on as they are now with the process. We felt that certain aspect of the finished album left us wanting, so remixing the album is something we’ve always talked about. Twenty-three years on we got the chance, and it was really fun to hear the original studio performances. They still stand up today and it made me feel real proud of those early recordings and the OG team.”
This momentous album project also sees Revival songs re-recorded with revered reggae names from around the world. Katchafire have announced the ‘Revival 2.0 Guest Edition’ album will be released in November 2026.
Every month leading up to the album drop, a single from their platinum debut album will be released featuring special guest singers, commencing with ‘Seriously (feat. Ali Campbell)’ of UB40, on February 6 amidst Katchafire’s NZ tour dates with UB40.
“Katchafire has performed at the world’s biggest reggae festivals and has had the privilege of supporting and befriending the world’s biggest reggae artists, some of whom are our musical heroes. We are fortunate to bridge the gap between our humble country of Aotearoa and the world. We have connected with global reggae communities in South America, America, Jamaica, Europe and beyond. We feel blessed to be able to collaborate with some of these living legends.
We are excited to release the first single — ‘Seriously’ featuring guest singer Ali Campbell of UB40. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed the process of creating ‘REVIVAL 2.0 – GUEST EDITION’,” Katchafire singer and founding member Logan Bell said.
The ‘Revival 2.0 Guest Edition’ album will also include tracks by Hawaii’s Mike Love, Australian First Nations singer Emily Wurramara, and Jamaican legends Third World, amongst other roots and reggae luminaries to be revealed throughout the year.
