Manu by Aro

‘Manu’ (bird) is a bilingual - te reo Māori & English, 10 track album influenced by the melodies and rhythms of our native birds, playing on their characteristics, and some of their significances for Māori. The kaupapa of this project is to tell stories about identity.

This all began when Aro heard a melody sung by a Tūī on top of Te Ipu o Mataoho/Mt Eden in Auckland 1 year ago, and transcribed the melody of the Tūī into song. This idea became the trailblazer for their debut album, Manu. Since then, the duo have allowed the stories and sounds of 9 other manu to inspire them to write a whole album that uses the language, sounds and harmonies of Aotearoa to tell their beautiful stories.

By bringing attention to these birds and the stories they have inspired, through songs that are memorable, with words that are encouraging and fun to sing, the message is for people to be proud of who they are as Māori, as New Zealanders, and as whoever they may be.

Blending Emily's honey-voiced jazz with Charles' full throated percussive sound with shades of haka, Aro's storytelling performance adds up to a warmth of experience, wholly original, anchored in Aotearoa New Zealand.

aromusic.co.nz