Music

Delaney Davidson performs Erny Belle's song 'Hell Hole'

Watch the third episode of Under Cover with Erny Belle and Delaney Davidson.

Behind the waiata that led the Māori Battalion to war | Rongo Toa

'March to Victory' was written by Corporal Anania Amohau of the B Company.

An 18-year-old wahine composed this sad farewell sung to WWII soldiers | Rongo Toa

Kōhine Whakarua Ponika of Tūhoe and Ngāti Porou descent was an expert in song writing.

The lost Pacific stories of the Māori Battalion | Rongo Toa

“Many don’t realise the significant role our relatives of Te-Moananui-a-Kiwa played [in WWII]”.

This big band hit honours the first Māori Victoria Cross winner | Rongo Toa

‘E te Hokowhitu a Tū’ was written by Tuini Ngāwai for Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu

How Aue E Ihu became the Māori Battalion’s special hymn | Rongo Toa

The hymn was sung by soldiers on their departure from Palmerston North on Anzac Day 1940.

Talking about OCD with BENEE

“I'm just constantly counting and it got really annoying. At one point, I was counting pumps of face cleanser, and I was just like, Oh, God,…

The siblings behind a Māori musical theatre show

We sit down with the creators of Whakapaupakihi.

SWIDT: 'Crying is a form of healing' | Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower

“We probably do a better job of looking after the community than the cops do.”

Martin Phillipps (The Chills) and Semisi Maiai (Marlin’s Dreaming ) | Under Cover

Musicians Martin Phillipps & Semisi Maiai catch up to talk about ghosts & the bond that bands have.

Taonga puoro were almost lost, now these wāhine are taking the revival to a new generation

May we boundlessly dream of possibilities beyond our wildest imaginations. May we weave communities of support, compassion and active solidarity. With our history in front of…

How Melodownz first visit to his marae for special waiata changed his life

"It’s about waiata and it’s about the language, but for me it changed my life.”

The Collective: The gig | Ep 8

Plans come crashing down when they realise they haven’t sold enough tickets for the gig. Will the rangatahi lose their trust in the mentors, after a…

The Collective: The downfall | Ep 7

Plans come crashing down when they realise they haven’t sold enough tickets for the gig. Will the rangatahi lose their trust in the mentors, after a…

The Collective: My body is mine | Ep 6

MC Tali takes a trip to the hood to school Trey and Jay in freestyle. With the help of Emma Dilemma, Iris has a breakthrough, while…

The Collective: The hood | Ep 5

Trey and Jay find new ways of rapping about hood life, no longer glorifying street pain? Laughton from Kora has the tools to help Mahima uncover…

The Collective: Our demons | Ep 4

Mataio explores the dark side of the music industry with hip hop duo No Comply. Iris reveals how her traumatic past has stolen her voice. Can…

The Collective: Pockets of gold | Ep 3

Hip hop legend Melodownz shares his top writing tips and things get real when they visit the gig venue. Amelia experiments with her musical identity to…

The Collective: Pressure makes diamonds | Ep 2

Tensions are high as it dawns on them just how much is involved in pulling off the gig. Mahima reveals the true depth of his emotional…

The Collective: The announcement | Ep 1

Marcus Powell from Blindspott grathers Crescendo Trust’s most promising emerging artists and offers them the biggest opportunity of their lives. Will they overcome their demons to…

TEEKS on music as a form of healing

“It’s about reestablishment or reclamation of whakaaro Māori because I know our tupuna were emotionally aware and conscious of the power and strength in vulnerability and…

Rapper Mo Muse didn’t feel belonging in Aotearoa until he found Hip Hop | The Outliers

When Mo Muse was young, kids used to tell him “you’re not one of us.” Now the Somali refugee rapper is selling out gigs in Aotearoa…

Nah Zone is uplifting brown creatives in Aotearoa | The Outliers

“We just need to get out of that whole humble mentality.”

Jonique Purcell knows music creatives in Aotearoa are just as good - if not better -…

The artist making bangers in a te reo Māori renaissance | The Outliers

“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…

Musician Valle on the power of returning home | The Outliers

“Growing up in New Zealand was complex. Looking different, being different, sounding different. I remember straightening my hair just to fit in.” Christchurch musician Valle travels…

Musician Isla Reeves on bipolar and reconnecting with her Māoritanga | The Outliers

"I had this calling to be part of te ao Māori, and recognise my own Māori-ness." Christchurch poet and musician Isla Reeves gets candid about her…

A 64 Bars debut from Ranuimarz that’s “full of mana”

“When they hear Ranuimarz, they know exactly where I’m from.”

Ranuimarz and fellow West Aucklander Melodownz meet up ahead of Ranuimarz’s explosive 64 Bars debut at Red…

Meet Fable, the anonymous hip hop artist from Papakura | The Outliers

Most artists work for their faces to be recognisable, but Fable AKA Shy Boy did everything he could to stop that. “When I first started getting…

20-year-old Shiraz is “the most underrated MC in the country”

Shiraz used to keep his rapping a secret. Now, he’s being called the most underrated rapper in New Zealand by one of his inspirations, Dirty. Shiraz…

Waguan raps about social justice while making you dance

“We out here talking about social justice and twerking.”

Making people dance while rapping about social justice can seem like an unlikely combo. But for Waguan, like…