Aaradhna returns to her roots with her new single, “Mango Tree,” her first release since winning Best Soul/R&B Artist at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards.
“Mango Tree” showcases the soulful sound fans have come to love from the Aotearoa R&B/hip-hop trailblazer. The soothing track, with its healing island breeze feel, features Aaradhna’s sultry vocals over traditional flutes and a deep, hypnotic beat. Natural imagery of mango trees, honey, and bees adds to its earthy and spiritual essence.
The accompanying music video, directed by Prasenjit Das Rishabh and cinematography by Akash Bob Chatterjee, is a vibrant celebration of Aaradhna’s Desi heritage. The colourful clip features Aaradhna in the role of an Indian goddess, floating on a canoe and dancing on sacred temple grounds. You can watch it below.
Following this release, a remix by Manchester hip-hop/soul duo Children of Zeus will drop, a collaboration that began during their New Zealand tour.
Aaradhna also took the opportunity to share the correct pronunciation of her name with fans on social media. She described “Mango Tree” as “really special to me” and hopes it’s “simmering in your soul.”
“Mango Tree” follows a series of self-produced tracks, including last September’s acclaimed “She,” the spoken word piece “Aaradhna,” and the stripped-back piano ballad “Beautiful Ones.”
These recent releases have set the stage for her highly anticipated album, marking her first full-length project since her well-received 2016 release, Brown Girl.
Aaradhna recently received five finalist nominations at the Pacific Music Awards and was a Silver Scroll Top 20 finalist. Known for iconic hits like “They Don’t Know” with Savage, “Getting Stronger,” and “Forever Love,” the Indian-Samoan singer, songwriter, and producer, has made a significant mark on the music scene in Aotearoa and beyond.
Her chart-topping work with Adeaze was recently celebrated in director Oscar Kightley’s 2021 documentary on Dawn Raid.
Aaradhna’s “Mango Tree” is out now.
