Award-winning musician Geneva Alexander-Marsters, better known as Geneva AM, is set to release her new song Tangaroa Made Me Ill next month.
Alexander-Marsters has continued working in collaboration with Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod after seeing success with her debut release IHO - which went on to win Te Tohu Pūoro o Te Reo Māori (Favourite Song, featuring Te Reo Māori) at the 2023 Student Radio Network Awards, and was released as a part of the Waiata Anthems last year.
Alexander-Marsters says becoming a musician was not something she planned.
“I wanted to be an actress, so I would say ‘I’m an actress, that’s my buzz’. But I was always doing music,” she says.
The Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa descendant has been immersed in Māori culture her entire life, attending kōhanga reo and involved in rūmaki units at school.
She feels proud to produce music in the reo for everyone to connect with.
“After writing these waiata, other people were like ‘I feel the same way, and listening to your music which is a bit more alternative, I feel like now I have somewhere I can go to when I feel mokemoke and when I feel like I miss home’.”
Tangaroa Made Me Ill is set for release on February 14th and talks of the travels she made to visit her partner who lives on Waiheke Island.
Alexander-Marsters draws inspiration from her ferry trips over rough waters but says the song title also has another meaning.
“The title also refers to Tangaroa, and him bringing me to my love and me in a way feeling lovesick. It’s just referencing those feelings at that time, all of the butterflies that you feel.
“But the waiata did come out in a natural and fun way,” she says