Maori Music for a Modern Audience

Māori Music for a Modern Audience

1. Aotearoa

What style of music is this?

Aotearoa is a pop song

Who performs it and what was their inspiration?

This song is performed by Stan Walker, Roy Hall, Troy Kingi and Maisey Rika. This song was made to celebrate Māori Language Week, and it was inspired by the song Poi E by the Patea Māori club.

What did you like about this song?

I liked the fact that it was all in Maori (though that makes sense because it was written for Māori Language Week) and I like the fact that it was made to sound modern.

What did you like about the music video?

I thought the way they added the clips of the different scenery around New Zealand was interesting.

What is the song about?

As quoted by Stan Walker- "it's a song to celebrate our nation, our landscape, our uniqueness, our language and our people. Here is a version of the song in English:

2. Māreikura

What style of music is this?

The music genre for Māreikura is pop

Who performs it and what was their inspiration?

The song 'Māreikura' is performed by a Māori pop band called Modern Māori Quartet, and Awhimai Fraser.

This is Modern Māori Quartets inspiration 'we, MMQ, wrote this waiata to acknowledge women as the pillars that provide the foundation of our world'

What did you like about this song?

I liked the way the singers voices harmonised, and I also liked the background vocals.

What did you like about the music video?

 The music video was actually just a video of Modern Māori Quartet and Awhimai Fraser recording the song in a studio, which I liked.

What is the song about?

"Women are the doorway to life, the heartbeat of Māori culture and the first voice heard on the Marae. Our song reflects these aspects. It is strong and warm, and ranges musically from traditional chant and haka to a contemporary rhythmic guitar with melodic vocal flow"

-Modern Māori Quartet

3. Wairua

                               What style of music is this?                                              The music genre for Wairua is pop

                Who performs it and what was their inspiration?                  Wairua was performed by a band called Maimoa

What did you like about this song?

I likes how it sounded really modern, and I liked the music (instruments) in the background

What did you like about the music video?

I thought some of the dancing was pretty interesting

What is the song about?

One of the group's singers, who’s also famous for his performance on the hit series NZ’s Got Talent, Tawaroa Kawana says, “Since breaking into the music industry last year with our hit single Maimoatia, we wanted to go down another avenue in terms of uplifting our rangatahi (youth)."

4. Kalega

What style of music is this?  
'Kalega' is R&B/Soul 
      
Who performs it and what was their inspiration? 
The song 'Kalega' is performed by Rob Ruha and The Witch Doctor. This is what Rob Ruha said about their inspiration for the song: Picture glistening coastal views, fresh fish and chips after a swim, ice cream stops and BBQ’s on the beach while your favourite jams ring out the car window and you have ‘KALEGA!’ An upbeat waiata that celebrates a unique slice of Aotearoa heaven – the East Coast, where the word ‘Kalega’ is as legendary as a kina tongue on bread!

What did you like about this song?
I liked that they used both English and Maori in the song. I also like how modern it sounded.

What did you like about the music video?

I thought the scenery in the music video was amazing

What is the song about?
"It’s a song about the great Aotearoa summer pilgrimage back to the beach to chill, unwind and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city. No matter where you’re from, what you’re day job is or what language you speak, everyone can relate to that!" -Rob Ruha