STORMY WEATHER
–
NEW SINGLE BY
RIQI HARAWIRA
TO RAISE FUNDS FOR FLOOD RELIEF IN
HAWKES BAY
Riqi Harawira
(Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa)
releases
today
his
reggae rock fusion track
Stormy
Weather
.
Written
about
his
adopted home of Hawkes Bay and
Cyclone
Gabrielle
,
which
devasted
communities
there and around
Aotearoa
,
Stormy Weather
tells a powerful and hopeful story of a
community resilience and coming together to mend.
‘
Lend a hand to those in need, yeah, plant the seeds.
Waiohiki, Esk Valley, Takami Makaurau, Te Awa, Ahuriri, Karanema, Omahu and Coromandel,
Taupo, Waikato, Bay o
f Plenty, Wairoa, Pakowahi, Tairawhiti, Tai Tokerau, Tangoio
’
Riqi
Harawira witnessed Cyclone Gabrielle
’
s devastation firsthand
,
working as
part of the
Te
Taiwhenua
cleanup
team
in Hawkes Bay helping
the Omahu and Waiohiki communities.
“
M
y greatest
desire
as a songwriter
is
to
uplift and inspi
re
through music. I call it
‘
Rongoa for the
rohe, Rongoa for the people
’
(medicine for the land, medication for the people). When I saw the rain
had marked Te Mata Peak and it looked like the maunga was crying, I felt a calling to put pen to paper
and use my skills to unite people for a common cause. I just couldn
’
t sit around
and do nothing. So, I
wrote a song with a hopeful narrative that will bring people from Hawkes Bay together and
as a
tribute
to their resilie
n
ce
”
said Riqi.

The
Karanga
featured
in
Stormy Weather
is
by
w
haea
Dianne Hilton
(
Ngāti
Kahungunu ki Heretaunga
)
from Te Hauke
.
A
testament
to the power
and
importance of honouring those who have
passed away
, it
serves as a traditional goodbye to those lost during
Cyclone Gabrielle. This type of
k
aranga
,
known as hui or
a,
express
es
deep sadness for the living who h
ave experienced death, sickness, and
grief. It reminds us that we must not forget those who have passed away
during Cyclone Gabrielle in the areas mentioned in the song
and says that we
celebrate and farewell
them by coming together and returning to the ma
rae of Hine
-
nui
-
te
-
pō. Even though we cannot be
there physically, we can connect with them spiritually.
Stormy Weather
was
produced with the
assistance from
Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga
,
Jonny Pipe
Audio
,
Tom Pierard
(drums),
Caleb Robinson
(Bass guitar),
Chris Chetland
(masterin
g)
and
Sam
Henry
vocalists.
All royalties/proceeds
from the track will go to the charities
I AM HOPE
to
provide counselling to
impacted
tamariki
.
Riqi
’
s
musical journey began as the lead guitarist and
co
-
songwriter for
the renowned band
Dead Flowers
.
He
now stands at the forefront of
Māori fusion music, infusing performances with the beauty of Te Reo
Māori and waiata Māori
.
In
2022
Riqi
was a
nominee for
Best Male Solo
Artist
at the prestigious
Waiata Māori Awards
.
His
music
embodies
diversity
–
a
blending of different worlds
and
speak
s
of cultural harmony
.
W
hile
many
of his
songs
are
written
in
Indigenous
Māori,
they
transcend
language barriers
through his
electrifying
delivery
that
feature, a
fusion
of traditional haka energy
,
exhilarat
ing
rock
-
style music from the 1980
’
s
that
echo
the likes
of guitar legends like Slash and Jimi Hendr
ix
,
and his
commitment to his own homegr
own
unique sound
.
Donate by p
urchas
ing
via
;
BANDCAMP
/
SPOTIFY
Dec 31
-
New Year's Napier
Soundshell
ASSETS FOR DOWNLOAD
HERE

Stormy Weather
–
R Harawira
We
’
ll weather the stormy weather,
Mend the hearts, the broken homes,
Coz
’
toge
ther we are strong,
We gotta stick together: we
’
re not fair weather,
All the people from all around, from the country to the towns.
When the wind all the rains come down
All our lives were turned upside down.
But we
’
ll never give up: we
’
ll get through.
Kia kaha, E Tu!
We remember all the ones we lost.
Hold them close no matter what the cost.
Keep moving forward day by day, we
’
ll find a way.
Gabrielle came with her might,
Aotearoa in her sights,
We stood strong in the face of fear; we will preserve.
All
the roads ahead going to be long.
Together we
’
ll stay strong.
Lend a hand to those in need, yeah, plant the seeds.
Waiohiki, Esk Valley, Takami Makaurau, Te Awa
,
Ahuriri, Karanema, Omahu
and
Coromandel,
Taupo, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wairoa,
Pakowahi, T
airawhiti, Tai Tokerau, Tangoio
.
He Rongoa ki te Whenua, He Rongoa ki te Tangata, He Rongoa
Karanga hui ora
-
Whaea Dianne Hilton
Haere atu rā me ō karangatanga maha Kahurangi
.
E ngā uri ki te huinga o te marae o Hine
-
nui
-
o
-
te
-
pō
(
Go forth with the many
calls from descendants gone before to assemble in the blue sky abov
e)
MEDIA: Leesa Tilley +64 21 243 6899 /
publicity
-
machine@orcon.net.nz
/
www.publicityplus.co.nz

https://www.facebook.com/israelstarrofficial/
Label home of: Israel Starr, Lion Rezz, Raggadat Cris, Jagarizzar & Lomez Brown
Reggae Roots, Rnb & Bass Culture!
Email: blessupmusic@gmail.com

Māori / DJ / Turntablist / 
Live Performer. 
Ngati Kahungunu 

Producer/Engineer/Musician/Songwriter        *All songs here are available for download on iTunes!*

Landon McNamara
The Late Ones
Sammy Johnson (Sammy J)
HiRemedy
Kolohe Kai

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