Native Tongues 5 October 2020
Written by Admin on October 7, 2020
This week on Native Tongues we feature some of the winners of this years Pacific Music Awards 2020 and the usual offerings of new tracks from local talent.
Kicking off the show is Church & AP who were big winners this year sweeping up a few awards:
- FLAVA Best Pacific Group
- Base FM NZ & Island Base Samoa Best Pacific Hip Hop Artist after the release of their debut album Teeth
- NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award for their single “Ready or Not”.
- Dera Meelan also took out the Red Bull Best Producer for his work on their album ‘Teeth‘.
There’s no slowing down for the duo as Church & AP release ‘ROLLIT’ from their sophomore album ‘GOD SAID’.
After last week’s The Street’s inspired track ‘YEAHNAH’, the duo have come back with a completely different vibe. Bringing the iconic kiwi slang back, Church & AP kickback and relax on the rasta ready track. Although inhouse YKK producer Dera Meelan brings his signature beat flip in for Deadforest and Highlace to come in with the feature.
It’s the final drop before the full side A of their sophomore album drops. Celebrating the release, Church & AP will be on the road in Dunedin and Wellington then capping off the tour with their hometown Auckland show Hollywood Avondale.
Next up, repping the 685 and For The Ville is Poetik. He’s been an advocate for our people by continuing to put Polynesian culture and issues on the map. This next track is titled Dedication from HAMOFIED 2.
Congratulations to Poetik for taking out Best Pacific Male Artist.
Singer songwriter Olivia Foa’i of Te Vaka and ‘Moana’ celebrated with three awards of her own, recognising her tremendous success as a solo artist. She won:
- Auckland Council Best Pacific Female Artist
- Sunpix Best Pacific Language
- Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album for her debut solo album
This week we featured her track ‘Tropical feat Nase Foai’ off her award winning album CANDID
Auckland producer Leaping Tiger with his track ‘No Heart’ features Disciple Pati. This was released in 2017 and is a hybrid of electronic, alternative, hip hop and r&B. His most recent project being ‘Porcelain Orca Whales’.
Disciple Pati won the NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video for ‘The Boy Who Cried Woman’.
The video and song are a product of an amazing team; David Atai (from Nesian Mystic) was the recording engineer and helped in production, while Destiny Momoisea produced the video alongside renown DP/ Director Shae Sterling, Polynesian Celebrity Stylist Sammy Salsa, and Executive Producers Culture Factory (creators of Comedy Central show SiS and Baby Mama’s Club [TVNZ]).
The video and song showcases the resilience Samoan people have – ‘we go through so much in New Zealand as a minority so this song exhibits some of the strength and power we hold despite our circumstances.‘
Musician, Singer/Songwriter and now award winning Best Pacific Soul/R&B artist Jordan Gavet released ‘Hesitation’ last year.
Partially raised in Avondale, Jordan wanted to bring the spirit of the Auckland neighbourhood to the forefront of the Shae Sterling directed music video. The track was produced by grammy nominated producer Willstah who has also worked with big names such as Ariana Grande, Dj Mustard and Ella Mai.
Winner of the Sunpix Peoples Choice Award is Kings with his track ‘6 Figures’
He broke the record of longest running No. 1 New Single ‘Don’t Worry Bout’ It‘ back in 2017.
Victor J Sefo is a producer/singer song writer/session musician/artist based in Hastings and is of Samoan decent. He won the NZ On Air Radio Airplay Award. His latest release is ‘Bad Woman featuring Savy and Finesse’.
Positive Vibes’ by Te Puke (Bay of Plenty) artist RANKEEZ is based off experience and facing negative challenges with a positive mindset. 
The track is produced by Hellmask and the beats by Con. The second track featured this week is ‘Take Me Back to the Days ft. Produkt’.
Gino October a South African born rapper from West Auckland returns with ‘Better For Ya‘- the second offering from his forthcoming project ‘Look How Far We’ve Come’ which is set for October 16. The first being ‘Calisthenics’. This track was produced by Sydney producer AYWY.
Emerging R&B artist NEKO has released her debut single ‘Serious’. ‘Serious’ is a refreshing slice of modern R&B fused with nostalgic soul from yesteryear; held together by heartfelt lyrics and a vocal that sends shivers down your spine.
The Auckland-born singer and songwriter, who is just 18, first started gaining attention with her unofficial Soundcloud releases and DIY-style videos posted on Instagram.
NEKO then turned heads when she featured on rising NZ hip-hop duo Church & AP’s critically acclaimed tracks ‘War Outside’ and ‘Hello Hello’; as well as Kiwi neo-soul singer-songwriter Noah Slee’s song ‘Soulflower’. She also performed with Church & AP at Western Springs Stadium earlier this year, when the rap duo opened for Kiwi legends Six60.
Indyah’s new single ‘Turning Blue‘ is a great follow up to her latest single ‘WYS‘, working again with Auckland based platinum producer LMC.
Written by Indyah with a little help from Auckland based artist C Brook. Recorded at Red bull studios with Ben Lawson, the track is about feeling some type of way about someone but not wanting anyone to know therefore keeping the thoughts to yourself, this person has treated you bad in the past but you find yourself still thinking of them when you are alone. A taste of what’s to come with her forthcoming EP.
Coming in hot after her debut EP ‘Greatest Hits’ and building a loyal following in the underground rap scene of Aotearoa, ‘Spooky’ is the first single from a more sophisticated, self-assured, and self produced PollyHill.
Behind a Jazzed up Trip-Hop à la Wu Tang Clan inspired moody production, lies an unapologetically call out of the gatekeepers of music from a woman’s lens. It also comes with a kooky music video directed by Paloma too – featuring a snippet of another upcoming PollyHill track which drops next week.
Paloma Schneideman is a writer, director, musician and maker of things. She is based in Tāmaki Makaurau, New Zealand. As a musician, Paloma produces and performs under the alias PollyHill, which has seen her headline gigs along side artists such as JessB, Half Queen and Imugi 이무기, performing in high profile shows such as Laneway Festival (with Filth AKL) The Other’s Way Festival, Women’s Refuge Fundraiser, and the 95BFM Fancy New Band Show case. She also composes and scores dance and film, with 2020 seeing further collaborations with artists’ Jahra Wasasala, Sofia Mcintyre, Footnote Dance Company and the Pantograph Punch.
In 2020, Paloma was a recipient of the NZ Film Commissions Gender Scholarship, which of 123 applications, awarded 5 women a grant to continue making content, with an emphasis on comedic work.
‘Just Let Me Know’ by Matt Bizzle and Kevin Posey featuring Lily Jackson is an inviting track that has a triple threat of sexy saxophones, bars for days and infectious vocals. This is the first time these 3 artists have worked on a project together but the result is effortless.
The song is a Poppy/Hip Hop/Dance tune that really highlights each person involved individual strengths. Matt Bizzle is an Auckland based producer and musician who is a regular name in local music circles and has crafted the instrumentation of song as well as recording his signature saxophone sound. After residing in Auckland Kevin Posey now back in his home town of Oklahoma has brought his effortless flow to the track as well as mixing and mastering the song .Kevin Posey is also responsible for bringing singer Lily Jackson into the fold where her unique voice and lyricism are proudly on display.
Native Tongues is a one hour show of new music from local artists curated and hosted by Yannika. Big thanks to NZ On Air Music. Tune in live every Monday 3pm-4pm.
Launched in late 2011, Native Tongues is a 1 hour show dedicated to uncovering the freshest in underground music from Aotearoa. From bedroom producers who are just starting out through to artists with multiple releases on international labels, Native Tongues showcases the true sound of the underground.
Native Tongues highlights new music & new artists to the show each week, focusing more on emcees, beat makers, producers & electronic music.
