Music
Press
The world is full of musical prodigies, but Mihirangi's got them all beat... between her appetite for musical adventure, her Maori roots, and her political convictions, she's the perfect model of a 21st-century shaman and a future star"… Cover Story, The Georgia Straight, BC, Canada 2006 - The Georgia Straight, BC, Canada 20
"Live Review"
After experiencing somewhat of a gig-drought, I walked into Ruby's Lounge in Belgrave last Friday with high hopes, and Blue King Brown's album launch with support from Mihirangi surpassed all expectations.
I'd never really heard any of Mihirangi's material previous to this gig, but from the moment this quietly spoken Maori woman stepped on stage and began her performance I knew I would never forget her. Using a loop pedal, Mihirangi layers her Vocals into, intricate harmonies with beat boxing, tribal rhythms and vocal bass lines to accompany her r'n'b infused vocals. She opened her set with a traditional Maori song of greeting, and her a ccapella vocal strength sent shivers of awe down my spine. Mihirangi held the audience's avid attention with tracks from her first solo full-length album Kulcha Nation. She played out her concerns for indigenous, environmental and spiritual issues with the hip hop infused title track Kulcha Nation. Her soulful beat-boxed World Citizen got the crowd head nodding along. She absolutely blew us away when she set her loop-pedal going and jumped off stage to begin a frenetic dance with her poi's during the Poi Song - Beat Magazine Isabel Lim
Songlines September Review UK
Mihirangi
Kulcha Nation
Black Market Music BMMR06 (42mins)
Four Stars
A vibrant splash of Maori nu-folk
Mihirangi (pronounced me-hee-rung-ee) is a young New Zealand-born Maori singer-songwriter who has been living in Australia for many years. A former member of all-female groups Stiff Gins and Akasa, her vocal style can be favourably compared to Ani DiFrancos its a seductive combination of gutsy Maori strength and centred musical purpose. With a solid reputation on the local festival circuit and two independent EPs already under her belt, Kulcha Nation is Mhirangis first proper album and a good international entry point for her creative repertoire.
The opening Poi Song a tradition-based, percussion-driven Pacific chant quickly segues into her more original material. Lyrically concerned with indigenous, environmental and spiritual issues, Mihirangi also wears her political heart on her sleeve for the beat-boxed title-track, a verging-on-hip-hop version of Akasas World Citizen and the sympathetic Welcome to Our Country, which features spoken commentary from Aboriginal activist Isabel Coe.
Often looping her vocals into carefully multi-layered harmonies, Mihirangis most moving moments surface when she sings purely in Maori (Tena Kautau) or successfully alternates it with English, as on the lovely Deeper. The album has exceptionally clean production, and percussionist Greg Sheehan deserves special mention for his propulsive, non-intrusive backing.
Cooking up an imaginative blend of contemporary vocal techniques and strong melodies, Mihirangis innate respect for tradition continues to be her secret ingredient. Kulcha Nation offers up a rich cultural recipe that provides listeners with substantial audio nourishment. Itll be worth keeping an eye and an ear on this young womans musical development.
Seth Jordan. - Songlines UK
"…engaging live show with killer use of the loop lets her roam through percussion instruments, beat box, guitar and enchanting vocals. Best show I've seen all year!"…
Tracey Page, Dog my Cat Records, Canada
- Blog
Discography
Moemoea Reka - EP 2004
Kulcha Nation - Album 2006
No War - EP 2008
Photos
Bio
Renowned for her distinctive vocal style with an extraordinary range of power, expression, vitality and intensity, Mihirangi possesses both feminine tenderness and grrrrl power. An activist and a dream weaver with a confidence and credibility in her natural expression of stagecraft she is a performer who imaginatively reflects the moment.
Dubbed the Maori Princess of funk, Mihirangi is a solo artist of contemporary originals and soulful world roots with a rare performance style. Creating her own band sound live in front of her audience using a loop pedal, the key to Mihirangi's sound is the layering of her own vocal sounds. From the foundation of fat solid bass lines to intricately layered harmonies, rhythmic ska chops, sensuous jazzy riffs and beat-boxing its all done with her voice. Also a multi-instrumentalist Mihirangi plays percussion, guitar, koauau (Maori bone flute), rhythm poi and long poi.
Born in Aotearoa (NZ) and currently residing in Australia, Mihirangi was raised in a touring musical family with a history that exposes a passionate affection for her Maori ancestry. With a unique Polynesian global sound, the parallel of the ancient and modern is portrayed in the distinctiveness of her writing and the spirit in which it is delivered is with the composure of a woman fulfilling her destiny.
Playing out her concerns for indigenous, environmental and spiritual issues and endearing herself to audiences around the world, her journey and insight offers a refreshing perspective of contemporary culture. Although reverent in her traditional deliverance, when her groove kicks in, Mihirangi is all liberation and raw power. Her utterly unique musical vision, and the cross-cultural harmony that she herself represents, will be heard.
Having guested with the likes of Lee Scratch Perry, Michael Franti, KNaan, Salmonella Dub, and The Waifs, Mihirangi has served a rich and diverse musical apprenticeship while her broad talents have infiltrated all levels of the global music scene: Shes sung at the helm of a three-hundred-plus choir, hosted a Maori Haka at the Melbourne International Arts Festival, worked in television for three years as host of Noise TV. and recently performed at the 30th Anniversary of the Sea Shepherd Gala Benefit in LA to the likes of Martin Sheen, The Chillli Peppers and the Dixie Chicks.
In the past two years Mihirangi has been a highlight of the national and international festival circuits. Her unforgettable performances surpassed all expectations and her one-woman show was the toast of the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand music industries. Being one of the top selling festival artists.
Mihirangi's new single and album are on the way with sponsorship from Roland for a state of the art live rig, record company interest. Now with major booking agents in Australia & Canada and interest from the USA 2008 is set to be an even bigger year.
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