Māori Soul and Pop artist Mohi takes us back in time with new track ‘Te Aroha Mauroa’
Following his debut single E Kii in 2021, Mohi (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa) is now releasing his second single Te Aroha Mauroa, ahead of his upcoming debut EP Moments.
With more than 11 thousand Spotify streams following the release of his first single, Mohi’s latest track shows a smooth connection between Soul and Pop, and will build towards his first EP as a solo artist.
Te Aroha Mauroa has an organic instrumental sound, with the help of producer Dan Martin, Mohi’s guitar playing is part of the track itself. It also focuses on bringing his exceptional voice to the forefront to showcase a very special vocal talent.
“I hope that when people listen to it, it takes them back to a memory – of childhood sweethearts, or even a more recent love. To the moment when they felt that urge to take the plunge and go for love. I hope it brings joy to whoever is listening to it.”
“I wrote Te Aroha Mauroa recently and from my words you hear that I’ve a much deeper understanding of love now than when I wrote Lovers Lane 7 years ago. Te Aroha Mauroa means a forever kind of love. It’s the kind of love that’s hard to translate back into English and the beautiful thing is we don’t have to. It’s the best kind of love, the kind you want to go on forever, that you grasp with two hands because it holds you, and the person you love, tight. I’m really excited about releasing both versions and having people connect with them.”
Dan Martin says that the key vocal hook in the song is dope and upbeat, with some pop, almost gospel/soul influenced sound.
“I’m hoping the new EP establishes Mohi as one of the most watched upcoming Māori talents in Aotearoa and helps catapult his career. We want the song to resonate with people sonically as Māori music becomes more prominent in the mainstream space. I hope Mohi’s music can be part of this driving force” says Martin.
Mohi says the inspiration for this song comes from one of his closest female friends. “We had been friends for a long time, we started fooling around, and thought we may as well go all the way, or more appropriately, we were thinking about going down Lovers Lane.
“Most people, if not all people, will experience some type of love, and this waiata is about that journey that everyone eventually takes, into Lovers Lane.” says Mohi.
The EP is Mohi’s first full project as an independent artist, along with the musical guidance of Dan Martin.
Te Aroha Mauroa is now available on all streaming platforms. Its English counterpart, Lover’s Lane will be released April 15th, 2022.
