Mā

Maarire Brunning-Kouka, known professionally as MĀ, is a Māori singer-songwriter, producer and sound artist from Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), Aotearoa New Zealand. Her music blends soul, hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz and te reo Māori, creating immersive, downtempo soundscapes that are intimate, atmospheric and emotionally resonant.

Mā emerged with her self-produced debut album Breakfast with Hades (2021), which received widespread critical acclaim for its lush production and introspective lyricism. The album explores themes of grief, identity, Māori literature and cultural connection, establishing her as a distinctive and deeply thoughtful voice in contemporary Aotearoa music.

In May 2023, Mā was named one of Rolling Stone’s ‘NZ Ones To Watch’, recognising her as one of the country’s most exciting and original emerging artists.

Her sophomore album, Blame It On The Weather (2025), expands her sonic world through collaboration, weaving together bilingual songwriting and rich textures while exploring relationships with the natural environment, climate, and community.

Mā performs with her band The Fly Hunnies and has also released music under her side project Iti Bubba, including the album Idiot Check (2023).

An autodidact artist who moves fluidly between singer, rapper, spoken-word poet, beatmaker, producer and bandleader, Mā’s work is shaped by her experiences working outdoors and her deep connection to te taiao (the natural world). These influences permeate her music through organic rhythms, ambient detail and soul-searching lyricism.

Mā is the daughter of respected Aotearoa artists Nancy Brunning and Hone Kouka, and her upbringing within a creative, theatre-driven environment continues to inform her expansive and boundary-pushing artistic practice.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Cone