Photo by Fraser Chatham
Flo Wilson (they/ she) is a composer, performer and artist from Tāmaki Makaurau/ Aotearoa NZ based in Berlin, Germany. Their diverse practice spans choral-based performance, building immersive spatial sound and video installations, as a composer scoring for contemporary dance, and as a collaborator with songwriters. Flo's compositions often blur the boundaries between organic and synthetic elements, weaving together intricate layers of sound to create lush sonic tapestries.
Flo Wilson's work has gained recognition both within Aotearoa and internationally (USA, EU, AUS). Their contributions to sonic arts have been acknowledged through grants, awards, and residencies (with Olivia Webb for the Toi Pōneke/ Te Kōkī Sound Art Residency), further solidifying their reputation as a dedicated member of the music community.
Beyond their solo endeavors, Flo Wilson is an active collaborator, regularly joining forces with other artists from diverse disciplines, such as visual art (Olivia Webb, Ziggy Lever) and dance (Dance Plant Collective), to create multi-sensory experiences. Songwriting & production collaboration is another string to their bow; they were a co-producer on lau.ra ft. JessB’s ‘Don’t Waste My Time’ through APRA SongHubs, which went on to get regular play on BBC1 and synced on Amazon Prime’s Alex Rider series in 2021.
Flo’s debut EP '(Please) Keep Breathing' was released on tape in 2018 by New Zealand experimental label mfmp. Their major new sound work 'Prelude to a Requiem' was released bio-digitally through Saplings Records in 2022. This release raised enough money to plant over 1,000 mangrove trees through Eden Re-Forestation Projects to help fight coastal erosion.
Flo has worked as a professional audio engineer for RNZ. Credits include the ‘Let's be TRANSparent’ podcast which won bronze at the New York Radio Awards 2023, and ‘The Detail’ podcast which won Best Factual Podcast at the New Zealand Radio Awards 2023.
Flo holds a first-class honours degree in Composition - Sonic Arts from Te Kōkī – New Zealand School of Music, and their thesis was published in the proceedings of the Australian Computer Music Conference.
Awards & Grants for artistry
Arts Foundation New Zealand Springboard Award, 2024
APRA Professional Development Award, 2023
Creative New Zealand (Saplings), 2020
Rebekah Wilson Scholarship for Sonic Arts, 2017
Lilburn Trust Award, 2013