Māori Television Launches ‘Waiata Anthems: Reo Journey’ Online

New Māori language music from some of the most celebrated musicians in Aotearoa – both emerging and established – will be released on Māori Television’s Facebook page @maoritv.nz at 8.00 PM every day from tonight (Monday 13 September 2021).

WAIATA ANTHEMS: REO JOURNEY builds on the momentum of the hugely successful 2019 compilation album with successful pop songs re-recorded in te reo Māori by artists such as Six60, Benee and Stan Walker.

To coincide with the launch of Māori Language Week 2021, Māori Television will release two songs every night – a total of 10 waiata over the next five days – along with interviews with each artist.

The new content is part of Māori Television’s popular live stream on Facebook of celebrated New Zealand musicians performing from their living rooms during lockdown, THE MEMBERS’ LOUNGE, which launched at the beginning of this month (September).

Coming up on WAIATA ANTHEMS: REO JOURNEY on Māori Television’s Facebook page:

• MONDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2021 AT 8.00 PM:

REUBEN FLEETWOOD: This 20-year-old singer-songwriter grew up in Whangamata. ‘Haere Rā - So Do You’ is the emerging artist’s first release in te reo Māori.

GEORGIA LINES: This Tauranga-based singer-songwriter has released a reo Māori remix of her original tune, ‘My Love’ called ‘Tōrere’, translated by Hana Mereraiha.

• TUESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 AT 8.00 PM:

LOUIS BAKER: ‘Te Utu o te Aroha’ is a ballad co-written by Louis with Hana Mereraiha, Te Whiti Warbrick and Reuben Fleetwood at a song-writing workshop last year.

DIAZ GRIMM: ‘Te Kore’ is a multimedia feast of a live performance recorded in Alert Level 4 lockdown.

• WEDNESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2021 AT 8.00 PM:

IA: ‘Whetū’ is tipped to be the best in smooth grooves and taonga puoro (traditional Māori instruments).

HUIA HAMON : ‘Marama La Luna - Moon Moon’ incorporates four languages: Māori, English and samples of Spanish and Italian - all part of Hamon’s whakapapa

• THURSDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2021 AT 8.00 PM:

AINSLIE ALLEN: New Zealand Country Music Entertainer of the Year, ‘Te Ua Ka Mao’ is her second reo Māori song, translated by Leon Te Heketū Blake.

TOMORROW PEOPLE: ‘Rise Up’ is a trilingual song in English, Māori and Samoan representing the ethnicities within this band.

• FRIDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2021 AT 8.00 PM:

GOLDSMITH BAYNES: ‘Tīpuna’ is a topical tune for anybody longing to return home and connect to their ancestors.

TROY KINGI: With his contribution ‘Te Wai Nō Rua Whetū’, Kingi is on track to write 10 albums from 10 different genres in 10 years.

WAIATA ANTHEMS; REO JOURNEY will be released on Māori Television’s Facebook page facebook.com/maoritv.nz/ at 8.00 PM every day from tonight (Monday 13 September 2021) for the next five days.

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