Māori soul artist Rob Ruha and Māori Japanese J-pop singer Jay’ed Goto have combined forces to create a bilingual soul ballad. The waiata was created for the Tuku Iho exhibition, currently underway in Japan.
The Tuku Iho exhibition is about sharing and connecting ngā uri o Kiwa through culture.
“I’m here in Tokyo to assist with the music elements of the Tuku Iho exhibition,” says Ruha.
For Goto, the collaboration is an opportunity to reconnect to his roots in Aotearoa.
“Today is like a new page for me ... I always wanted to share my identity as a New Zealander and as a Māori. If I could show a little bit for the music, that’s something that’s really big for me personally,” says Goto.
Living almost ten thousand kilometers apart meant that most of the composition was created via the internet.
“Well, I meet Rob on Skype, we were talking about how we were gonna make it,” says Goto.
“After many hours of deliberation, we got a result. I found a tune, I composed the Māori lyrics and he added the Japanese elements,” says Ruha.
Both hope the song will become iconic for both cultures and already have plans to collaborate again.