Theia – Waikato: 13th Floor New Song Of The Day

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Theia TE KAAHU project releases rousing ode to her ancestral river, Waikato.

It’s Monday and its raining in Auckland. Stay warm, stay dry and listen to new music from Theia. Here is the blurb with details:

Theia’s reo Māori project TE KAAHU has revealed an uplifting new single, ‘Waikato’.

TheiaIt is one of nine waiata that make up the project’s debut album, TE KAAHU O RANGI, which is set for release in the coming weeks.

‘Waikato’ is a soulful tune steeped in old-school sentiment, which pays tribute to Theia’s ancestral river – the Waikato – and the many generations that have lived in harmony with this iconic landmark and force of nature.

“My kui (nana) was raised on the banks of the Waikato, at our marae, by her mother and her mother’s mother. My great kui, Mite Te Aho Karaka Kukutai, has spoken vehemently about the powers of our awa and fought for the government to work with mana whenua to protect Waikato’s wellbeing. In this waiata I have woven in nanny Mite’s whakaaro with tribal pepeha and metaphors to show Waikato’s strength as a motherly force – ‘Tōku awa koiora me ngōu pikonga he kura tangihia o te mātaamuri’  My river of life, each bend more beautiful than the last,” says Theia (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tīpa, Ngāti Amaru).

Theia is a fierce proponent of the revitalisation of Māori language and culture, and through TE KAAHU she pays tribute to her tūpuna wāhine (female ancestors).

In the short space of 12 months, TE KAAHU has gone from strength to strength, with chart and radio success in Aotearoa and garnering international recognition. This includes TE KAAHU being handpicked by Apple Music for September 2021’s ‘Up Next’ campaign, which identified and showcased rising talent from across the globe. It saw ‘Rangirara’ chart in 26 Apple Music charts around the world
‘Rangirara’ also charted on the NZ Spotify Viral Daily and Weekly Charts.

Stay tuned for more on the exciting upcoming release of the album,
TE KAAHU O RANGI.

Find TE KAAHU:
Facebook / Instagram / Spotify / YouTube

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