Music Industry News

Two-piece Aotearoa soul collective IA return with ‘Rerehua’, the third single from their newly released EP Tawhiti, a reo rua project grounded in Māori traditions, blending taonga pūoro with contemporary soul.

Formed by Moetu Smith (Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Maniapoto) and Reti Hedley (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), IA centres on revitalising taonga pūoro as a living, evolving art form, while championing te reo Māori and inspiring new generations to carry ancestral instruments into modern spaces.

Led by the nguru (traditional Māori nose flute), ‘Rerehua’ features Pacific Māori soul vocalist Jordan With a Why. The waiata invokes Hineraukatauri, the atua of music, and is a mihi to Pacific dance in all its forms – from whare tāpere to the modern stage – says taonga pūoro artist and IA lead singer Reti Hedley.

“Dance is how we gather to tell our stories and strengthen our identities and relationships,” he says. “This wairua is reflected in the waiata, it’s built to be sung and moved to and to celebrate culture.”

Released alongside the single, the music video was filmed in Whāingaroa, Raglan. Following people from all walks of life passing the camera through the coastal town, the video celebrates community, connection, and collective energy. It mirrors the spirit of whare tāpere that continues to thrive across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, where communities gather in music, movement, and storytelling.

Tawhiti, meaning reaching across oceans, encapsulates both the kaupapa and the creation of the EP. Written while Moetu and Reti were on opposite sides of the world, the ingoa reflects how they remained connected through the waiata, despite distance.

“‘Tawhiti’ is full of light, melodic arrangements that create space for ancestral instruments to guide each track’s essence,” says Moetu, “We’ve crafted waiata designed to be sung with whānau, shared across the motu, and carried beyond Aotearoa.”

Blending contemporary soul and R&B with traditional Māori instrumentation, Tawhiti also features previous singles ‘Pā Māori’ and ‘Sun is Shining’ alongside new tracks ‘Petane’, ‘Tukuna’ and ‘Tūturu’.

‘Rerehua’ and Tawhiti are made with the support of Te Māngai Pāho and are available now on all streaming platforms.

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Formed in 2021 by Moetu Smith (Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Maniapoto) and Reti Hedley (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rāhiri), IA blend taonga pūoro and Indigenous soul, bringing traditional Māori instruments into a contemporary space. The Māori Music Award and APRA Maioha Silver Scroll finalists have charted four singles on the Hot 20 NZ Singles Chart and continue to gain strong iwi radio support with their collaboration ‘He Piko He Tuna’ with Rei.