APRA AMCOS NZ are thrilled to announce the top 3 waiata voted by APRA members as finalists for the 2023 APRA Maioha Award. The APRA Maioha Award recognises the art of contemporary Māori songwriting and honours composers who are telling their stories in the language of te Ao Māori.
Live stream Weds 4th Oct @ 7:30pm NZDT- ‘E Tama’ written by Hamiora Tuari, Ani Piki Tuari, Tame Tuari, Tatana Tuari, Matt Sadgrove, performed by Tuari Brothers
- ‘Me Pēhea Rā’ written by Mohi Allen, Hēmi Kelly, Amy Boroevich, Noema Te Hau III, performed by MOHI
- ‘Raumati’ written by Jordyn Rapana translated by Te Kuru Dewes, performed by Jordyn with a Why
‘E Tama’ is the inspiring waiata written by siblings the Tuari Brothers (Hamiora, Tame, and Tatana), Ani Piki Tuari, and Matt Sadgrove. ‘E Tama’ encourages important values of manaaki tāngata (kindness), whakapono (faith), tūmanako (hope), and aroha (love). The Tuari Brothers' expertise is kaupapa Māori pop, and they perfectly wrap an important message for rangatahi in this uplifting song. The brothers proudly create music “that speaks about everyday experiences through lyrics that uplift others” and ‘E Tama’ is the perfect example. ‘E Tama’ comes from their debut EP Rongo released in December 2022. Watch the music video directed by Jarred Leith and filmed at Pouawa here.
Neo soul artist MOHI has been voted as a top 3 finalist for his heartfelt waiata ‘Me Pēhea Rā’ co-written and produced with Amy Boroevich (HINA), Noema Te Hau III, and Hēmi Kelly. ‘Me Pēhea Rā’ is MOHI’s most intimate offering to date, and touches on the complexities of love; from falling in love, to falling out of love and everything in between. "I want this waiata to move people, to allow people to feel, to reminisce, to love harder” he explains. This waiata was created at Reo Māori SongHubs 2022 where emerging and established artists gathered to create brand new waiata reo Māori/waiata reo rua under the guidance of Bic Runga, Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and the country’s most sought after Mātanga Reo (language experts). Watch a live performance video for Me Pēhea Rā here.
First time Maioha finalist, Jordyn Rapana AKA Jordyn with a Why, makes the cut with her ear worm waiata ‘Raumati’. The release of ‘Raumati’ marked her third time releasing original music and her first time writing in te reo Māori with the help of Te Kuru Dewes. “Raumati is a salute to Hineraumati, the Atua wahine of Summer,” Jordyn shares, “It’s about all the senses of Summer – recognising the symbols of our favourite season.” Watch the official video for Raumati here.
The above finalists were voted by the APRA Aotearoa membership from a list of five waiata. The top 5 were selected by a curated panel of songwriters and industry figures. This Top 5 was presented to the Aotearoa APRA membership whose votes helped determine the above shortlist and overall winner.
All awards will be presented at the 2023 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka at Spark Arena on Wednesday 4th October.
For more information on the APRA Maioha Award, please see here
With thanks to NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho, and Hallertau.
He whakapāohotanga tēnei nā APRA mō ‘Te Tohu Maioha 2023’ – Ngā Kapa e toru i whai waahi atu ki Ngā Whiringa Toa.
E rikarika ana mātou ki te whakapāohotia whānuitia ngā waiata e toru i eke ki Ngā Whiringa Toa i tēnei tau 2023. He mea pōti nā ngā mema o APRA e kitea ai Ngā Toa Whakaihu-waka ki te taumata mō Te Tohu Maioha nā APRA. Ka whakanui Te Tohu Maioha nā APRA i ngā Kaitito Waiata mō tā rātou kaha ki te whakatairanga i Te Ao Māori i ēnei rā, ā, ka whakanui anō hoki i tō rātou maia, me tō rātou kaha ki te tuari i ngā pūrākau o Te Ao Māori ki roto i Te Reo Māori.
- ‘E Tama’ - Nā Hamiora Tuari rātou ko Ani Piki Tuari, ko Tame Tuari, ko Tatana Tuari, ko Matt Sadgrove tēnei waiata i tito, ka mutu, ko ngā Tuari Brothers ngā Kaiwhakangahau.
- ‘Me Pēhea Rā’ – Nā Mohi Allen rātou ko Hēmi Kelly, ko Amu Boroevich, ko Noema Te Hau III tēnei waiata i tito, ka mutu, ko MOHI te Kaiwhakangahau.
- ‘Raumati’ – Nā Jordyn Rapana tēnei waiata i tito, ka mutu, nā Te Kuru Dewes te titonga i whakamāori, ā, ko Jordyn with a Why te Kaiwhakangahau.
Nā te pekepoho tae atu ki te piripoho o te whanau, arā, ngā Tuari Brothers (Hamiora rātou ko Tame, ko Tatana) rātou ko Ani Piki Tuari, ko Matt Sandgrove tēnei waiata a ‘E Tama’ i tito. Ka whakakipakipa tēnei waiata a ‘E Tama’ i ētahi o ngā mātāpono Māori pēnei i te manaaki tangata, te whakapono, te tumanako me te aroha. Nā, he tohunga ngā Tuari Brothers ki te whakamana i te hunga rangatahi, ā, koirā te hāngaitanga o tēnei waiata. Ko tō rātou tāera ko te puoro arotini. Engari tonu, he puoro arotini Māori. He kaha nō ngā parata ki te tito waiata e pā ana ki ngā take o te wā. Ka puta ngā whēako ki roto i te kupu kōrero, ki roto i tō rātou kaha ki te whakamana i tangata kē anō hoki. A kāti, ko te waiata nei a ‘E Tama’ te hua nui. He mea puta te waiata nei a ‘E Tama’ i tō rātou kōpae tuatahi e kiia nei ko Rongo. He mea puta tēnei kōpae waiata i te marama o Hakihea, 2022. Pāwhiritia te ingoa o te waiata ki te mātaki i te kiriata e kiia nei ko ‘E Tama.’ He mea hopu te kiriata nei ki Pouawa nā te ringa tohu a Jarred Leith.
Nā, kua whai waahi mai a MOHI ki Ngā Whiringa Toa mō tōna waiata e pātukituki ana i ngā kare-ā-roto, arā, a ‘Me Pēhea Rā.’ He mea tito, he mea whakaputa tēnei waiata nā Amy Boroevich (HINA) rātou ko Noema Te Hau III, ko Hēmi Kelly. He hononga mauroa, he hononga piringa tahitanga te momo tāera o tēnei waiata a ‘Me Pēhea Rā.’ Ka whakamana tēnei waiata a MOHI i te āki a te kiko, i ngā tairongo ka pā ki a kikopuku, ōtirā, ka kumea tēnei waiata i ngā kūrae o te ngākau tangata me ōna piki, me ōna heke. Nā, e ai ki a MOHI, “ko te hāngaitanga o tēnei waiata, kia whakaoreore i te hunga whakarongo, kia whai waahi te hunga whakarongo ki te rongo ki ngā karekare o te ngākau, kia rere ngā maharatanga, kia kaha ake te aroha o tētahi ki tētahi.” He mea tito tēnei waiata ki te wānanga Reo Māori e kiia nei ko SongHubs i te tau 2022. He wānanga ki te whakakotahi i ngā Kaitito Puoro hōu me ngā Kaitito Puoro kua raupā kē ngā ringaringa. He huinga tangata ki te whakaora i ētahi waiata hou, waiata Reo Māori, waiata reorua anō hoki. He huinga noho ki raro i ngā parirau o ngā mātanga reo pēnei ia Bic Runga rāua tahi ko Tā Timoti Kāretu. Pāwhiritia te ingoa o te waiata ki te mātaki i tētahi pāohotanga mataora o ‘Me Pēhea Rā.’
Koinei te tau tuatahi kua whai waahi mai a Jordyn Rapana, arā, a Jordyn with a Why ki Ngā Whiringa Toa mō Te Tohu Maioha nā APRA. Kua whai waahi mai mō tōna waiata e pāorooro nei ki te rokiroki o mahara, arā, a ‘Raumati.’ Koinei te wā tuatoru kua whakaputa ia Jordyn Rapana i tētahi waiata tūturu, ā, koinei te wā tuatahi kua tuhi, kua tito i te waiata e kiia nei ko ‘Raumati’ ki Te Reo Māori. Nā Te Kuru Dewes a Jordyn Rapana i tautoko e kōunga ai Te Reo Māori. Ka whakamana tēnei waiata ia Hineraumati. Nā, ko Hineraumati te atua wahine o te raumati. E ai ki a Jordyn, “ko te hāngaitanga o tēnei waiata ko ngā tāera katoa o te pekatau e kiia nei ko te raumati.” Pāwhiritia te ingoa o te waiata ki te mātaki i te kiriata tūturu mō ‘Raumati.’
He mea pōti Ngā Whiringa Toa nā ngā mema o APRA puta noa i te motu. I kōwhiria te tokotoru nei i tētahi ohu. Me pēnei pea te kōrero, e rima ngā Kapa ki te rarangi ingoa. Nā, i whakamana tētahi ohu i ngā Kapa e rima. Ko ētahi o te ohu whakatau he mātanga ki te tito puoro, ā, ko ētahi he rongonui puta noa i te ao puoro. I rangiwhāwhā te tuku atu i ngā ingoa o ngā Kapa e rima ki ngā mema o APRA puta noa i te motu, ā, nā ngā mema o te motu Ngā Whiringa Toa i kōwhiri. He mea hua mai ai i tētahi rautaki pōti. A kāti hā, ka tuku atu ngā taonga katoa ki te pō tuku taonga e kiia nei ko ngā APRA Silver Scroll Awards 2023, ki Tāmaki Makaurau a te wenerei te tuawha o Whiringa-ā-Nuku ki Spark Arena.
Tēnā koa, hono mai ki tēnei honongaitua mehemea e hiahiatia ana ki te mōhio i te whānuitanga o ngā kōrero mō Te Tohu Maioha nā APRA.
Me mihi ka tika ki Te Māngai Pāho rātou ko Irirangi Te Motu, ko Hallertau mō tā rātou kaha ki te tautoko i tēnei kaupapa nui whakaharahara.