Multi-award-winning musician Joel Little has finally sold his West Auckland home.
Little, who co-wrote Lorde’s number one hit Royals and has produced songs for Taylor Swift, had put the four-bedroom 1970s house on Scenic Drive, in Titirangi, on the market at the end of January but struggled to find a buyer during the summer storms.
However, listing agent Kane Taylor, from Ray White, confirmed to OneRoof today that the property, which Little bought five years ago for $2.45 million, had sold. Details of the buyer and the sale price were still under wraps, though.
The property includes a secret recording studio where Little has collaborated with some of the industry’s biggest names, although when he talked to OneRoof in January he declined to reveal which stars have hung out at the 1970s bush pad.
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He was, however, enthusiastic about the property’s unusual features and interior design.
Little and his wife Gemma Robinson had spent over a year looking for an Auckland base before spotting the Scenic Drive property which had the perfect combination of views, cool architecture, sun and bush – and they made the decision to buy after just one viewing.
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“We were going to buy it before seeing it, but the auction got pushed and we luckily got to see it one time before buying,” Robinson said. “But I think we would’ve bought it sight unseen anyway!”
The family, with their two children (a third arrived 18 months ago), moved back to New Zealand in 2018, and Little now travels back and forth to Los Angeles. But the house carried the Californian vibe to west Auckland.
“It had the Hollywood Hills vibe – the pools, the views,” the pair said.
Handily it even had extra living space by the pool. With the help of stylish Auckland designer Katie Lockhart it was updated and now boasts a wall of awards and album covers and a pool table.
The bedroom was sound-proofed as Little’s studio and features Little’s dream must-have: a secret entrance. “It was my childhood Batman fantasy come true. You tilt a book and the bookshelf opens like a door,” Little said.
Little and wife Gemma Robinson at the 2014 Silver Scroll Awards. Photo / Getty Images
Kiwi singer Lorde at Glastonbury. She and Little soared to fame on the back of their 2013 hit Royals, which they wrote together. Photo / Getty Images
“I produced songs for Taylor Swift in that room, as well as artists like Vance Joy, Imagine Dragons, Tate McRae and Khalid.”
The couple leaned into the 1970s vibe of the house, with its angles, and curves, updating bathrooms, flooring and finishes and Robinson got stuck into the garden to reflect the nearby kauri bush adding more native plants, flaxes and grasses. Huge lawns allow all-day sun into the 320sqm house, while the 2438sqm site provides privacy.
The only structural overhaul was a new roof as the family’s plan was to remodel more extensively sometime in the future. But plans changed when the couple finally opened their passion project of the past two years - Big Fan, a music-making mecca in a converted warehouse in Morningside, Auckland, which includes studios and a performance venue. Since they opened late last year, they realised they needed to be based closer to it and have moved into the city.
The recording studio has a secret entrance. Little worked in the room with a host of music stars over Zoom during the Covid lockdown. Photo / Supplied
The property has a relaxed vibe and Little and Robinson worked with designer Katie Lockhart to make it special. Photo / Supplied
“We’re jealous of whoever is going to buy this home. It’s a really great place,” Little said in January.
“It’s such a great place to make music, a great lounge to have people in. It’s got a bit of history.”
The couple said they would also miss the views, the space, the fresh air and the charming nearby beaches, including French Bay/Otitori Bay, Cornwallis and Huia.
“The view is really the thing. It’s got to be the best view in Auckland. We can see the Manukau and Waitematā harbours. From our master bedroom we can see Rangitoto, the North Shore and the Coromandel Ranges on a clear day,” Little said.
The property is nestled in the bush and offers clear views of Auckland’s Waitematā harbour. Photo / Supplied
Agent Taylor said the property was a step above the usual “cookie cutter” home. “You’re king of the mountain, it’s insane,” he told OneRoof in January.
The property has a CV of $2.65m. Top price for Titirangi village is the $6.9m paid in December 2021 for an extended family compound with a pool and tennis court on a 1.68ha site on Huia Road, a price well above its CV of $2.35m.
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