NLC Drops Soulful Te Reo Māori Single For NZ Music Month

Award-winning New Zealand reggae band NLC is about to drop a new single just in time for the final week of New Zealand Music Month.

The Whanganui-based musicians are well known for their fusion of reggae with elements of soul and dub woven with te reo Māori and English.

Their latest offering goes one step further; an original song recorded totally in te reo Māori, called Ko au ko au.

The song was written by NLC’s lead singer Baz Muir and translated into te reo Māori by well-known television presenter and entertainer, Te Hāmua Nikora.

Muir said the single is the band’s fifth recorded waiata in te reo Māori and he’s excited to be able to finally share it during NZ Music Month 2025.

He said Ko au ko au is a song about "living in a silent life”.

“It’s a thought-provoking song that touches on those times in your life when you feel that you can’t speak about all of the challenges you might be facing.

“It’s about encouraging people to make a change, to have the courage to speak about their insecurities.

“We want this song to help people understand that speaking to others can help them find their identity. After all, everyone has their own special identity that makes them unique.”

The new song was made with the support of NZ On Air and is being released on May 26, 2025.

It will be a stand-out feature among the group’s impressive catalogue of work produced over the past decade.

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