Creative, collaborative work behind Maaka Fiso’s new single   28 Sep 2016

Creative and collaborative work behind Maaka Fiso’s new single

Hot on the heels of winning one of the top Music awards in New Zealand, Auckland based singer Maaka Fiso releases his latest single, One Thing Remains.

Maaka was named the Best Male Solo Artist at the National Waiata Maori Music Awards held in Hawke’s Bay in September.

He believes the award validates his work to date in the music industry and it’s sets up well the release of the new single under the Waatea Music label.

“I was honestly shocked to win the award especially being up against people like Rob Ruha.

“My jaw literally hit the floor when my name was called and a friend sitting next to me yelled out, ‘that’s you! You have to go up’."

One Thing Remains (OTR), was released on Friday, September 23. The song has a definite RnB/pop/soul vibe that is a departure from Fiso’s previous single, When I Leave, from his te reo Maori catalogue.

“I guess I’m always writing about what I’m feeling or experiencing or what I’m surrounded by at that particular time.

“With OTR, I wanted to portray a message that in your deepest most trying times, there is always one thing that can help you push through the barriers.

“Whether you find that in your family and friends, your children, your career or even religion, there’s always one thing worth pursuing and worth the fight."

Maaka says he’s “pretty stocked” with the instrumentation on the new single that is the result of a collaborative effort with his producer, Will Henderson.

“I love that he can bring things to a record that I might not have thought of during the writing process and that’s the beauty of being both creative and collaborative."

Maaka says he’s learning how to make every song he records uniquely his own.

“I believe every singer has something that is unique to them, something they can give to a song.

“This track could have turned out completely different if it was recorded by another artist."

Maaka says he enjoys the challenge of writing music and the value of keeping an open mind to various musical flavours.

“So don’t be surprised if you hear some country music or maybe some folk in the near future!

“I’m definitely diggin’ the future RnB/soul vibe at the moment too so it’s really anyone’s guess. Sometimes I find music is influenced by the producer I am working with in the studio at the time too."

Feedback from his recent releases via Waatea Music this year has provided something interesting food for thought.

“I’ve had a whole lot of different feedback. Especially being an artist releasing two different catalogues of music in both te reo and the commercial platform."

He said feedback from commercial and iwi radio stations had “been awesome”.

“I heard When I Leave on the radio in the car the other day and couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear.

“It was a very surreal moment hearing your own music across radio."

Digital link, One Last Thing:
http://www.waateamusic.co.nz/maaka-onethingremains
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/wi9C8h3wbsw
Facebook: Waatea Music https://www.facebook.com/waateamusic/
Maaka Fiso https://www.facebook.com/maakafiso
Website: Waatea Music http://www.waateamusic.co.nz/

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