“I’m a bridge. I don’t have to belong to just one culture, occupy this one space. I can be this in-between.” Rei calls himself “the creator of vibes”. But he doesn’t just want his music to be catchy, he wants it to revitalise te reo Māori. The “mixed whakapapa” musician and performing artist from Wellington is at the forefront of bringing te ao Māori into New Zealand’s mainstream music scene, and maybe even the world.

The Outliers is a series profiling impressive young people from minority backgrounds who are standing out from their peers.

Made with support from NZ On Air.