Interview: Triggar Happy

Tell us about yourself. Why the name Triggar Happy? Why country?
‍I’m a King Country farm boy, born and raised, milked a million cows, shorn a million sheep. I’ve wanted to be a singer-songwriter since I was five, singing into Dad’s stereo mic pretending I was Elvis. In 2025, I dropped two #1 albums, Talk Is Cheap and Love Loyalty Respect. But this has been a 35-year grind. Nearly 500 gigs across NZ and Australia. Pubs, bars, wherever they’d have me.

Triggar Happy has two meanings. First, my music should trigger something in you. Excitement. Energy. Feeling. And when that hits? You’re happy. Second, it’s me. I’m quick on the draw. I make decisions fast. I go all in. The name’s bold, a bit dangerous, unforgettable. Just like the energy I bring. Becoming Triggar Happy in 2024 was a line in the sand, no more covers. Originals. New era. New fire.

What was the draw for you to country music?
I was born into it. Mum and Dad played rock ’n’ roll and country nonstop. Farm life and country just go together. But my sound’s more rock-country now,  modern, gritty, with that old-school rock ‘n’ roll punch in the vocal.

Has music always been the dream?
‍Always. Since five years old. From the moment Dad brought home that record player and mic, I knew. I didn’t fall into this; I chased it.

Who shaped your sound?
‍It’s a wild mix. As a kid, I loved 50s and 60s rock ’n’ roll. Then 90s hip-hop, Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, N.W.A., Beastie Boys. You’ll hear that rhythm in my first album. Later came the country greats, Garth Brooks, George Strait, George Jones, Alan Jackson, and Brooks & Dunn. It all blended into what I do now, country with grit, groove and a bit of swagger.

You went from running six farms to going all in on music. What happened?
‍I was working seven days a week on a 240-cow dairy farm. Plenty of time to think. Time was ticking. I wasn’t getting younger. And I felt this spiritual pressure, like, it’s now or never. So I sold everything and bet on myself.

How does Ōtorohanga still shape you?
‍It’s everything. I wrote “873” after the old Ōtorohanga area code. It’s about growing up there, the beauty, the graft, the heartache, the blessings. Farm life teaches you resilience. Struggle. Gratitude. That all pours into my writing.

You were named Impact Artist of the Year in the U.S. before becoming Triggar Happy. Why change names?
‍It was a reset. Letting go of the past to step fully into the future. Hard decision, but necessary. I’ll always be Regan Tucker. But Triggar Happy is the attitude. The next chapter.

What was it like hitting #1 with Talk Is Cheap?
‍I was riding my Harley down State Highway One when my manager called. I pulled over. Dropped to my knees. Cried. Thanked God. Thirty-five years of grinding, and that moment made it real.

What’s it like working with your producer Noema Te Hau?
‍Game-changing. We write closely together, push ideas, and try new things. I’m constantly learning. He’s a huge part of this next chapter, and we’re already building the next album.

What’s coming next?
‍My new single “Zombies” drops Friday, 27 February. From now until October 2026, we’re releasing a new original every month, building toward the new album, a modern country-rock record with some remixed rock versions from my first #1 album. Deluxe vibes. And here’s the twist: I’m releasing a book too. Country Rock Kitchen. Part memoir, part cookbook, bundled with the album. Music and food. That’s me.

What would 18-year-old farmhand Regan say if he saw you now?
‍“Bro… we did it.” He’d be humbled. Probably emotional. Dreams can come true.
‍
If Love, Loyalty, Respect was a BurgerFuel burger?
The Bastard. Big. Bold. Leaves you satisfied.

If you could design your own BurgerFuel burger, what would be in it? 
Sirloin steak, egg, pineapple, salad, solid dressing. No messing around.

Sound Check / Vibe Check

Go-to car jam? Love Loyalty Respect (of course).

Favourite artist right now? Teddy Swims.

Something you can’t perform without? Cowboy hat.

Dream collab? Jelly Roll.

Go-to BurgerFuel order? Bastard and Spud Fries. Yummy.
‍

Fire or Backfire?

Pickles in burgers - Fire

Crocs - Backfire

Karaoke - Fire

BurgerFuel Aioli - Fire

Acoustic sets -Fire

NZ Music Month - Fire

Festivals - Fire

Singing in the shower - Fire

Pineapple on pizza - Fire

Supermarket barefoot - Backfire
‍

Check out Triggar Happy's new single, Zombies HERE and stay up to date on everything he's getting up to HERE.