New Zealand Music Month kicked off with a bang at Raglan Area School. Ex-students Merehia Hutchins and Sasha Kirkwood performed a range of covers such as the crowd-pleasing ‘Moana’ along with their own originals, keeping the audience entranced despite the simplicity of just a single guitar and vocals. The younger students clapping along added to the show’s aesthetic. What a solid start to Music Month.
Next up, Lost Tribe of Aotearoa brought a classic New Zealand reggae vibe to the stage. They set the tone with a rendition of Spongebob Squarepants, neon lights and a smoke machine that sent the little kids crazy. Lost Tribe express great messages through their songs, like ‘Badman’ which highlights domestic violence in New Zealand. Their music is rich in Te Reo Maori and connects us to our roots.
The Swabs, an instrumental band playing traditional Irish music played on Pink Shirt Day which resulted in a colourful display of children dancing their hearts out. Just goes to show you don’t need a vocalist to have ‘jammy’ music.
Local superstar Reiki Ruawai wrapped up music month with an exclusive preview of two of his unreleased tracks. The X Factor judges weren’t wrong in saying his voice was silky and velvety at 15 years old. Fast Forward nine years, Reiki owns the stage with a humble faultless performance that shows how talented he is as an artist and a lyricist. He left the audience awe-struck, and I am eager to hear more of his music in the future.
Massive thanks to all our musicians for giving back to our community and Whaea Celeste and Matua Joe for making it happen. The bars high, let’s see what 2022 has to bring!
Cuba Godward
Local superstar Reiki Ruawai wrapped up music month with an exclusive preview of two of his unreleased tracks.
