Gin Wigmore

Virginia Claire Wigmore (born 6 June 1986) is a New Zealand singer and songwriter known for her high-pitched, raspy voice. She gained prominence after featuring on Smashproof's 2009 single "Brother" and has released five studio albums: Holy Smoke (2009), Gravel & Wine (2011), Blood to Bone (2015), Ivory (2018), and Beautiful Mess (2026). Her first three full-length albums reached number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart.

Born in Auckland to Peter and Adrienne Wigmore, she wrote her first song, "Angelfire," at age 14. After her father died of cancer, she temporarily paused her musical pursuits and taught at a kindergarten in Argentina. Upon returning to New Zealand, she wrote "Hallelujah" as a tribute to her father. In 2004, her sister entered the track into the International Songwriting Competition, where Wigmore became the youngest and only unsigned Grand Prize winner in its history, while also winning the Teen category with "Angelfire."

In 2008, Wigmore released Extended Play, which peaked at number ten in New Zealand and achieved Platinum certification. She became the first artist signed to Island Records Australia and toured alongside Pete Murray, John Mellencamp, and Sheryl Crow. Her debut full-length album, Holy Smoke, recorded with The Cardinals, appeared in 2009. The record produced singles such as "Oh My" and "I Do," with her music being featured in television shows like The Almighty Johnsons and Weeds, as well as Air New Zealand campaigns.

Wigmore traveled through Mississippi and Alabama to draw Southern inspiration for her second album, Gravel & Wine, recorded in California with producer Butch Walker. Released in November 2011, it debuted atop the New Zealand chart. Songs such as "Black Sheep" and "Kill of the Night" gained wide placement across American television series, including Grey's Anatomy and Teen Wolf, as well as global commercial campaigns. Wigmore also featured in a Heineken Skyfall commercial performing "Man Like That" and joined the 2013 Vans Warped Tour.

Her third album, Blood to Bone, was released in June 2015, becoming her third consecutive New Zealand chart-topper and her highest-charting entry in Australia at number 13. Her fourth album, Ivory, named after her son, was released in April 2018. Following a series of standalone singles released between 2020 and 2023, Wigmore announced her fifth album, Beautiful Mess, in April 2026, releasing supporting singles including "Country Diamond," "Rodeo," and the title track.

Wigmore married musician Jason Butler in Hawaii in September 2014, and the couple had two sons before divorcing. They operated a boutique hotel in Palm Springs, California. In addition to her music career, Wigmore presented at TEDxScottBase in Antarctica in 2017 and was shortlisted for SAFE's New Zealand's Hottest Vegetarians award in 2015.