2023 Silver Scroll finalists, ‘Aro’, released their new Single ‘Mokomoko’, on November 24th, the first single off their forthcoming album, ‘He Rākau, He Ngārara’ due for release early in 2024.
The perfect tune for summer, and a beautiful next musical step for the pair as they continue on their journey researching mātauranga Māori, via their music. ‘Mokomoko’ comes with an important Kaupapa to tread carefully, on our way.
Multi Award Nominees, Bilingual Duo, Aro, consists of Tāmaki Makaurau based husband and wife, Charles (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāti Mutunga) and Emily Looker. The pair's music expertly blends Emily's honey-voiced jazz with Charles' full throated percussive sound, with shades of haka. Well known for their multi-genre offering of music & storytelling, with their performances combining a warmth of experience, wholly original music, anchored in Aotearoa New Zealand and leaving all who are present with the feeling of having been let in on a special secret.
‘Mokomoko’, a lizard native to New Zealand, and the first track released off the pair's next album project, ‘He Rākau, He Ngārara’, is a catchy upbeat track, featuring Emily’s signature honeyed vocals and the pair's unmistakable harmonies, produced by Vivek Gabriel. The kaupapa of the waiata, comes with a tohu to be wary where we walk, to tread carefully on our way.
“Remembering and retaining the lessons and the ways that have been handed down to us to protect us”. Ko ngā akoranga tuku iho – The teachings handed down
Creation of the album, due for release in 2024, involved researching mātauranga Māori in legends and whakatauki, from the writer's iwi and hapū, about Aotearoa’s native trees (rākau) and native insects and reptiles (ngārara). Passionate about promoting te reo Māori me ōna tikanga, Aro hope this track and the subsequent album will contribute to the growth of te reo Māori amongst their audiences.
“Some of the native trees and insects that will be referenced on this album will be familiar to the general New Zealand public, and some will be new”.
It's been a huge few years for the talented pair, most recently becoming finalists (top 20) for the 2023 Silver Scroll Awards, having been finalists for the Maioha Award at the Silver Scrolls (2019), finalists at for the APRA Best Children’s Song Award for their waiata Korimako (2020) and Kia Mau (2023), and as finalists for Best Māori Group at the Waiata Māori Music Awards (2022).
Things don’t look to be slowing down any time soon for the talented pair with what looks to be another big year ahead, ‘Mokomoko ’is due for release on November 24th 2023.
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