Wellington-based Māori musician AJA (aka Aja Ropata) perform four songs with her band, including her 2022 Silver Scroll-winning waiata 'Te Iho'.
Wellington musician AJA performing in RNZ's Wellington studio Photo: Leo Coghini
AJA won last year's APRA Maioha Award, which recognises contemporary Māori music, with Ōtautahi-based musician Byllie-Jean and songwriter/producer Chris Wethey.
She says although it was a massive surprise to win, she and Byllie-Jean knew 'Te Iho' was special as soon as they wrote it.
"The kaupapa [ethos] of the song was always about acknowledging wahine, our girls, our daughters. It's a beautifully poetic song, written in te reo Māori, which acknowledges our whakapapa [ancestry] and what we naturally inherit through our atua wahine [female gods] and whats been handed to us through our tūpuna wahine [female ancestors] … Being part of that lineage is also offering that to our babies. It's a super deep song."
AJA (who whakapapas to Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Raukawa) recently launched the artist-run "Māori for Māori" record label Meetinghouse Records with her friends and fellow Wellington musicians Mara TK and MĀ.
"We're building this record label from the ground up. I'm super excited about bringing this kaupapa to Aotearoa, sharing indigenous stories and also giving back to our people in public."
AJA and her band played:
'Breathe New Life'.
'Feel It'
'Te Iho'
'True Love'
’Non-Handler’'
'Sweet Love’.
Band members:
AJA - acoustic guitar/vocals
Leo Coghini - keys
Kat Little - vocals
Peter Riley - bass
Te Kawa Herangi - electric guitar
Tola Newbery - percussion
Related:
Listen - Aja Ropata plays 'Non-Handler'
