Two popular Aotearoa acts have shared a rousing waiata that will champion the sound of their nation with the world.
Corrella and L.A.B‘s frontman Joel Shadbolt have created an official song especially for a biennial Māori performing arts festival called Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga — the world’s largest kapa haka festival that will be broadcast worldwide to an audience of over 2.5 million, and occur in person before 70,000+ attendees.
The collaborators share a signature love for reggae, which translates into the summery feeling of “We Belong”. Shadbolt and Corrella’s Pipiwharauroa and Ngawaiwera Campbell lent vocals to the piece.
“We Belong” celebrates the collective strength and spiritual unity incentivised by the celebration and its host iwi. Its conception began in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, before being finalised in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The track primarily features english lyrics to bring together all of Aotearoa. Corrella’s lead singer Pipiwharauroa explains that the song was “written as a dedication that Te Matatini belongs to everyone here in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad, and that all are welcome. It touches on the stories we tell using kapa haka and the feeling you get from watching and being at Te Matatini, and we ask that all come and share in this.”
Campbell continued, “This song is a little bit different to other Te Matatini songs with it being predominantly in English, even though we have the utmost respect for the Māori language. This was to convey that even if you don’t speak Te Reo Māori, you still belong. We also pay homage to where Te Matatini is being held this year – under Taranaki maunga. Te kahui maunga, kahue tupua kahue wairau.”
L.A.B’s frontman Shadbolt recalled the recording process, “We went into the studio in September to work on the waiata, and working with the Corrella team was an awesome experience. We really wanted to capture the vibe and unity that Te Matatini brings to Aotearoa, and ‘We Belong’ is the result. Te Matatini is something that we as New Zealanders are incredibly proud of, and hopefully this waiata can help bring a taste of Te Matatini to people across Aotearoa and the world.”
Tā Herewini Parata, the Chair of Te Matatini expressed anticipation, “It’s exciting to have Corrella and L.A.B collaborate on the official waiata for Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, He Kāhui Tupua, He Kāhui Wairua 2025. The waiata ‘We Belong’ is about Kotahitanga (unity) and champions a place for us all in Aotearoa including a place for te reo Māori and traditional Māori performing arts. Te Matatini is where we belong.”
The festival is being held in 2025 from February 25th – March 1st. Tomorrow, however, L.A.B and Corrella are performing in Whangārei at Semenoff Stadium, alongside Stan Walker, Aaradhna and AJA. Limited tickets are still available here.
Corrella and L.A.B’s “We Belong” is out now.
