Huia

TĀMAKI MAKAURAU / AUCKLAND
She/Her/They

With electronic beats, organic percussion, live guitars and deep harmonies, Huia’s sound is richly layered, big subs with conscious lyrics in Māori, English and touches of Spanish.
Producing both solo and collaboratively, her music flows from ambient tunes, to liquid DnB, into dancehall and roots which creates an uplifting and vibe-changing live show.
 
Huia also creates small intimate gatherings, keeping it simple with a guitar and voice setting.
 
Her latest waiata she featured on is ‘Te Whakapono’ by Rei, a banger that went all over the world. Before that was ‘Tui Tuia ō Whakapapa’ and ‘Punakaiki’ with Sean Richards, where Huia was loving being in her electronic element again. ‘Tukua te Kūata’ and ‘Marama La Luna’, are favourites of her fans which keep her sets musically fluid and dynamic.
 
Performance highlights include mainstage for Splore Festival (iconic Aotearoa summer festival Sold Out 10,000 capacity) and supporting iconic world music artists ‘Deep Forest’ and ‘Gaudi’ (EU), as well as the ‘Freestylers (UK)’ with ‘Baitercell’.  
 
Huia is heading to Toronto, Canada to perform a showcase at the ‘International Indigenous Music Summit 2023’ as well as connect with other Canada-based music shows she has been playlisted on such as Reclaimed CBC.
 
Her mana-enhancing songs are played on Aotearoa’s (NZ’s) top dance stations such as George Fm and RDU. Though in te reo Māori, the songs chart on the NZ Hot Charts continues to make waves for indigenous artists. Her last E.P. ‘Āio’ hit #1 on the Ethnocloud charts and #16 on NZ Hot Singles Charts in the first week and was the only te Reo Māori single in the top 20.  The Āio EP has also been playlisted all around the world, from France, Canada, in the Highlands of Scotland, to Melbourne and closer to home on Waiheke Island. ‘Marama La Luna’ has been on the Te Reo Māori charts for a year and is still up in the top 20! 
Āio was Huia’s 3rd solo release since her debut album ‘Huia’s Waiata’, then Āta, and as the award-winning ʻTātou Tātou Eʻ Collective releases (V1-V5). She also featured on the TOKA E.P. for Baitercell, of which ‘Hine Ruru’ played heavily on the Bnet radio and world stations and was also in the top 20 singles charts, again the only te reo Māori single that week.
She also featured on ʻLullabies Of The Worldʻ which hit #11 on the German charts. Huia was invited to perform the classic Aotearoa lullaby ʻHine E Hineʻ (over 125,000 streams now) by the late and much-missed artist-producer Ramesh Weeratunga. 
 
You may have heard Huia’s warm tones at mainstage Splore, Lovelake Festival, AUM, Newtown Festival, Coromandel Sonic Summer Festival, R’n’V, Soundsplash, Grey Lynn Festival, The Rogue Stage, Waiheke Jazz Festival, The Red Lounge Sessions, Sundaise and The Big Day Out (RIP) and private events at the Auckland Museum to name a few, as well as onstage supporting Rei.She is also ‘Dj Wharatā’ for Rei touring nationwide in 2023. Huia is also a backing vocalist for many top acts including Rei, Kevin Mark Trail, Pieter T, Chong-Nee, Baitercell, JGeeks, Ariana Tikao and Kids of 88.
 
Huia has been releasing te reo Māori music for over 16 years and is been actively involved in the productions of many te reo Māori projects such as multi-award-winning Tātou Tātou E 1 and 2. 
 
www.iamhuia.com