Music Industry News

Niccolo Piccolo (aka award-winning Aotearoa country-folk artist Nicola Mitchell (Ngāti Maniapoto)) has released her joyful debut album for tamariki – TE NGAHERE.

Perfectly timed for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) and Te Marama Pūoru Waiata Māori (Māori Music Month), Niccolo Piccolo’s kaupapa is all about bringing people together to learn and celebrate te reo Māori, te ao Māori and the natural world around us.

TE NGAHERE is an adventure into te taiao (the natural world) and te reo Māori, exploring reo with waiata about waka, manu (birds) and our beautiful ngahere (forest/bush). Designed to spark curiosity in busy little minds, these waiata are packed with opportunities for tamariki and the whole whānau to sing along.

The album opens with ‘Tukua Rā’, a karakia whakatūwhera (opening karakia), before moving through previously released waiata ‘Tama te Tūī’, ‘The Bellbirds’, ‘Row My Waka’ and ‘Mauri Ora’, alongside ‘Hurihuri’ and ‘Kody the Kiwi’. ‘Ko Wai Ahau’ explores identity, while ‘Ka Kakakaka’ brings playful language learning to the collection with an arero whīwhiwhi, a tongue twister.

At the heart of the album sits title track ‘Te Ngahere’, a waiata inspired by the beauty and abundance of the forest.

“Te rahinga o te ngahere te ātaahua o te ngahere.

The abundance of the forest is what makes it beautiful.”

The musical journey continues with ‘I Te Ao, i Te Pō’ and ‘Ngā Korimako’, before wrapping up with a karakia whakakapi (closing karakia) ‘Tuia Te Iwi’.

For Niccolo Piccolo, TE NGAHERE is about creating a welcoming space where everyone can participate, learn from one another and celebrate our differences.

“Our differences in reo, what we can learn from each other, and our differences as humans are what make sharing our language with each other so beautiful,” says Niccolo Piccolo.

“As a reo learner myself, I hope that’s the message that whānau can take away from TE NGAHERE – that they feel welcome to be a part of this kaupapa, no matter where they’re at on their reo haerenga.”

The waiata on TE NGAHERE were created with support from mātanga reo Kommi Tamati-Elliffe (Kāi Tahu, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama) and THEIA (Em-Haley Kukutai-Walker, Waikato, Ngaati Tiipa), alongside performances from Michael Muggeridge (mandolin), Michael Story (double bass), Yodelling and Harmonies from Maegan Mitchell (Ngāti Maniapoto), featuring guest vocals from Quack Pirihi (Te Tai Tokerau, Patuharakeke), Jazmin Tainui Mihi (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Whakatōhea, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine), Māwhero Kenny (Kāi Tahu) with mixing by Tom Broome and engineering and mastering by Troy Kelly.

Made with the support of Te Māngai Pāho, Creative New Zealand and the APRA Aotearoa Mentorship Programme, where Nicola was mentored by multi-disciplinary artist and APRA Maioha Award recipient Byllie-jean (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Pāhauwera).

With its blend of te reo Māori and English, karakia, playful wordplay, memorable melodies, rhythm, storytelling, movement and songs inspired by the ngahere, TE NGAHERE is an invitation for whānau to listen, sing, learn, have fun, and explore together – wherever they may be on their reo haerenga!

Listen to the album here.

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