IA discuss collaboration and honouring tikanga on new single Rerehua
‘Rerehua’ is the third single from duo IA’s EP Tawhiti – a groovy, melodic body of work that develops on the soul and R&B textures they’ve become known for over the last five years. Featuring soul artist Jordyn with a Why, the waiata explores themes of community and connection, weaving in undeniably catchy melodies played on traditional Māori instruments.
We caught up with the two IA forces Moetu Smith (Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāti Maniapoto) and Reti Hedley (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) about their processes and the complex challenges that come from bringing taonga pūoro into contemporary creative practices.
‘Rerehua’ puts the nguru right at the centre of the song. What drew you to that instrument for this track, and how did its sound guide the mood of the music?
When we composed ‘Rerehua’, I [Reti] was travelling through Europe and I only had two taonga pūoro with me, my wooden nguru being one. While playing my nguru, it gave me an infectious playful melody that became the foundation of the music and guided the overall songwriting process.”
Reti, the song draws inspiration from Hineraukatauri. Who is Hineraukatauri and how did this theme shape the writing process?
“The use of nguru as the main voice in this waiata, acknowledges Hineraukatauri through its whakapapa – she is the mother of Māori flutes.”
IA has carved out a sound where traditional Māori instruments sit alongside contemporary soul and R&B. When did you start exploring this?
“It was the summer of 2019 when Reti and I first sat down and just started jamming. Reti would play a little taonga riff and then I’d try and find the chords to match the two together.
Wowee that was a mission! It took us most of that summer to figure it out. It wasn’t until I realised that the running of the taonga was just a bit flat to the standard Em running of a bass and so I just tuned down to the taonga which was actually 36cents sharp of the standard Em when we figured it out. It blew my mind but also made perfect sense.”
Jordyn with a Why features on the song. What did she bring to the collaboration, and how did her presence shape the final version?
Reti shares that “deep within the song lies the story of love. In the ancient house of whare tapere, lovers would often find one another, and the dance between the male and female voice was the reason we felt we wanted a female vocal on the track. Her soulful, rich voice brings a sultry tone that lifts the waiata to another level. We were so stoked when she agreed to be on the track!”
Moetu reiterates Jordyn’s contributions; “wow, such a beautiful voice and professional delivery of her mahi. She is an absolute pro in the studio, very easy to work with, like minded and fun. She brought cool and accompanying vocal melodies that fit the vocals laid by Reti. Again, an absolute pro in the studio.”
Since forming in 2022 you have built strong momentum, with several singles charting and wide radio play. What has that early support meant for you?
“Still to this day, I’m [Moetu] blown away that people take the time to listen to our music. Deeply grateful for all the love and support, it means the world to us.”
Traditional instruments carry deep history. When you place those sounds into a modern musical setting, how do you approach that balance with care and respect?
“For me [Moetu], knowing that Reti was lucky enough to have had a māmā who was heavily involved in the revitalisation of taonga pūoro and its traditions, I would always lean on him for the knowledge of the taonga that we are about to use and how it would be able to connect to the waiata we were currently working on. It ain’t work all the time, but our waiata you hear today are the product of when it did.”
“Yeah, as someone who grew up with taonga pūoro, I [Reti] learnt that most were not originally used as musical instruments. Only a small number, including the nguru, were played for music by our ancestors. This can make things tricky when composing with them today and using all of their voices in a musical context.
The challenge comes from the responsibility we carry as guardians to honour their heritage while also bringing them into contemporary music. As a composer, I often find myself using many taonga pūoro as musical instruments, sometimes removed from their historic customary purposes. In doing so, it can feel like I am bending and at times almost breaking the tikanga and kawa these instruments were born into.
One whakaaro that guides me through this process is a saying I once heard: “Kite ora ngā tikanga, me whati ngā tikanga.” In order for tikanga to survive, tikanga must adapt.
My love for these ancestral instruments, and for my ancestors themselves, always guides my intent whenever I explore the voices of taonga pūoro.”
Your music has helped introduce traditional instruments to a wider audience. What do you hope younger musicians take from hearing those sounds in a modern context?
“I [Reti] hope that more musicians take the leap and dive into the world of taonga pūoro and explore their beautiful voices and how they might adorn their music.“
Moetu adds that he hopes they have the “courage to be bold and turn to the taonga knowing it can be done. I hope it gives them motivation to want to use taonga first before the guitar to use reo māori as the standard.”
You each bring different backgrounds and influences into IA. Moetu, how does that partnership shape the way you write and build songs together?
“I think the two different ways we have come musically and bringing the experience we have both had in the music industry over the years, have allowed us to be honest, understanding and mature enough to hear each other and give something a go before we rule it out. To be honest, I love working with Reti. It's always fun and rewarding even when it’s not. I have a lot of love and respect for my brother!”
What about you Reti?
“Our partnership really begins with the relationship we’ve built musically and personally. Like many collaborations, the way we create together is shaped by our different personalities, backgrounds, and influences. We try to create a space where both of our ideas can exist and grow. Sometimes one of us will bring the initial idea, and the other will build on it, challenge it, or take it in a different direction.
That balance, giving each other space while also occupying that space with our own perspectives, is what shapes the songs. It allows the music to evolve naturally and often leads us to places we wouldn’t reach on our own.”
What feels like the next chapter for IA from here?
For Reti, the next chapter “feels like a deeper exploration of taonga pūoro. In recent years I’ve become really interested in developing these instruments further, particularly exploring their timbral, melodic, and rhythmic possibilities. For IA, that could mean making taonga pūoro specifically for musical exploration.”
Moetu passionately agrees. “The same as always – to bring taonga to the forefront of the world stage! To have fun and create beautiful and new innovative waiata, and to promote taonga and reo māori in the mainstream music scene even more. And to encourage the next generations to take it even further.”
