Highly anticipated compilation album Waiata / Anthems is finally here in all it's Kiwi glory.
The album - featuring some of New Zealand's most iconic musicians including Shapeshifter, Tiki Taane, Benee, Kings, Drax Project and Bic Runga - arrives in time to celebrate Māori Language Week which runs from September 9-15 and also coincides with the 20th anniversary of Hinewehi Mohi performing the national anthem in te reo Māori at an All Blacks game for the first time.
The entire album has been recorded in te reo, with the featured artists performing some of their biggest tracks in the language.
Listen to the album in full below!
Recorded over 10 weeks in 2019, Mohi worked directly with artists in the studio to guide their intonation and understanding of the new Māori lyrics, with translations assisted by Sir Tīmoti Kāretu, one of our greatest living Māori orators and language proponents.
Mohi asked Sir Tīmoti because she knew his involvement would elevate the mana of the project and give the artists confidence in the words they were singing.
Find out more about the album here.
