Not Just Normalisation, But Celebration: Another Year Of Success For Waiata Anthems

Fifty years since the Māori Language Petition, Waiata Anthems are being celebrated across the motu with over 780,000 collective streams since their release on September 2.

The cross-station radio play of waiata has more than doubled since the end of August, from 8.7% of NZ Top 40 radio plays to 19.3% last week. On ZM, waiata radioplay increased fourfold during Waiata Anthems Week.

For the final three weeks of Mahuru Māori, Waiata Anthems occupied more than one-third of the Hot NZ Singles Charts. Following Waiata Anthems Week, waiata occupied eleven spots on this chart, with Ka Taria by Rob Ruha and DRAX Project, and Purea by Coterie taking out the #1 and #2 spots, respectively.

Waiata Anthems co-founder Dame Hinewehi Mohi says this success is a testament to our artists, music industry, media and music fans coming together to champion te reo Māori by embracing waiata.

“It has been incredible to see waiata not only integrated into our mainstream music scene, but truly thriving amongst other Kiwi music and even international music.”

In four weeks, Coterie’s ‘Purea’, a Māori translation of their hit ‘Cool It Down’, has received over 139,000 streams, significant and sustained radioplay, and chart success.

Meanwhile emerging acts have come to the forefront, like Papa’s Pack, who have already gained over 50,000 streams and chart success with their first ever single ‘Muriwhenua Waiata’.

Papa’s Pack member Rapata Mclean says, “We can’t believe the support Muriwhenua Waiata has received. It's truly surreal to walk into a public place and hear not only waiata Māori, but waiata that represents who we are and where we come from.”

Emerging bilingual singer-songwriter YAHYAH says her Spotify Monthly Listeners increased from 112 to nearly 10,000 after releasing her waiata, ‘Ngā Mahara Moenga’.

Dame Hinewehi says the next bold step is to see the same level of support for waiata throughout the calendar year, and for all kaupapa championing te reo Māori.

"Bilingual music is now a significant part of our unique cultural soundscape, as artists grow in confidence and pride in their musical expression of the indigenous language and culture of Aotearoa. Kei runga noa atu!"

To find out more about how you can become a language champion, go to www.waiataanthems.co.nz. To listen to Waiata Anthems, visit waiata.lnk.to/WaiataAnthems2022.

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