Multi Award Nominees, Aro, Release Single & Video - Māhoe Me Patatē, OUT NOW!

With their second full album recently released on April 19th, Aro, made up of Husband and wife duo, Charles & Emily Looker, expertly presented a multifaceted, moving body of work, interwoven with numerous strands of their wider whanau. The album also featured the talents and support of a multitude of highly respected NZ musicians, producers and artisans from across the spectrum.

Single, Māhoe me Patatē is being released at a tough time in our country’s climate & history, with this in mind, Aro hope this treasured waiata reminds people that sometimes the smallest thing, can be a huge encouragement.

Sometimes it’s the small things that make all the difference, which are precious - he iti te pounamu - and help us find a way.

Māhoe me Patatē, was inspired by the tongi kura (prophetic saying) of Kīngi Tāwhiao, shared to his people in a time of significant loss where there seemed to be no hope.

"Māku anō e hanga tōku whare. Ko tōna tāhuhu, he hīnau. Ōna pou he māhoe, he patatē."

His encouragement was to draw attention to what was available, even though it might have been small, the bare minimum, it would still be enough for them to build a new whare to grow and thrive.

The single is released alongside a heartwarming music video starring - the Aro family, Charles, and Emily Looker, and their two tamariki and directed by Mumu Moore. Get ready for a cinematic adventure about two souls embarking on the journey of life, where the small things have grown to something significant.

Joining Aro in bringing this waiata to life with producer Vivek Gabriel were: Chip Matthews on bass, Adam Tobeck on Drums, Abraham Kunin & Vivek Gabriel on electric guitar and Peter Leupolu on piano. We also want to acknowledge the amazing tamariki of Te Hihiri ki Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa whose voices are singing loud and strong through the bridge of this treasured waiata.

It's been a huge few years for the talented pair, most recently becoming finalists (top 20) for the 2023 Silver Scroll Awards, having been finalists for the Maioha Award at the Silver Scrolls (2019), finalists at for the APRA Best Children’s Song Award for their waiata Korimako (2020) and Kia Mau (2023), and as finalists for Best Māori Group at the Waiata Māori Music Awards (2022).

They are also incredibly honoured and grateful to have this current project, including its extensive research, funded by Creative New Zealand and with support for this single from the Waiata Takitahi funding, supported by NZ on Air and Te Māngai Paho.

Their fourth innovative body of work, album ‘He Rākau, He Ngārara’, celebrates significant native rākau & ngārara. The process included researching mātauranga Māori, related or relevant to, legends and whakatauki, with each waiata written with involvement from members of iwi and hapū that Charles belongs to.

Renowned for blending Emily's honey-voiced jazz with Charles' full throated percussive sound with shades of haka. Aro's in studio & live performance adds up to a warmth of experience, wholly original, anchored in Aotearoa.

‘He Rākau, He Ngārara’ was produced and recorded with award winning producer Vivek Gabriel in his Mt Roskill studio ‘Gabriel Audio’. Aro have also had support and musical mentorship on this album project from Laughton Kora, with multiple kiwi artists adding their magic to the album’s waiata - Warren Maxwell, Chip Matthews, Gin Papali’i, Aaron Clarke, Bill Sim, Guy Harrison, Lucy Summerfield, Sam Kelsen, Oliver Meade, Eli Moore, Adam Tobec, Anesu Maforimbo, Peter Leupolu, Abraham Kunin & Mike Gibson. The pair were also honoured to spend time in Wellington recording with Warren Maxwell & Laugton Kora, specifically to record on Pounui, a beautiful rākau pūoro in Warren's care.

Their latest single, Māhoe me Patatē is due for release on May 10th as a single & video on all digital platforms. The video release has been made possible thanks to the Waiata Takitahi funding supported by NZ on Air and Te Māngai Paho, and the funding of this waiata and the full album project is thanks to Creative New Zealand.

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