Dillastrate Win APRA Maioha Award For Reo Māori Anthem ‘Kei Whati Te Marama’

Ōtautahi-based duo Dillastrate have taken home the prestigious APRA Maioha Award, celebrating outstanding waiata written in te reo Māori, at the 2025 Silver Scroll Awards.

The APRA Tohu Maioha / Maioha Award recognises the art of contemporary Māori music and celebrates kaitito creating waiata in te reo Māori. This year's finalists reflect the fast-growing and evolving landscape of waiata reo Māori.

The top three finalists included:

‘Kei Whati Te Marama’ written by Henare Kaa, Tim Driver, Hemi Hoskins and Rory Matao Noble, performed by Dillastrate

‘Korero Māori’ written by Marlon Williams and Te Pononga Tamati-Elliffe, performed by Marlon Williams (Concord Music Publishing)

‘Pūhā me te Porohewa’ written by Maarire Brunning-Kouka and Hana Mereraiha, performed by MĀ

In his acceptance speech at the Isaac Theatre Royal in their home town of Ōtautahi last night, Henare (H) Kaa paid tribute to te reo Māori champion and music legend Dame Hinewehi Mohi, for having the pair as part of her kaupapa Waiata Anthems in the past. He also honoured their late mentor Aaron Tokona of Weta and AHoriBuzz fame.

“Aaron enabled the genesis of Dillastrate. We miss him dearly and want to dedicate this tohu to him,” says Kaa.

Crafted alongside mātanga reo Hemi Hoskins and acclaimed producer Rory Matao Noble, Dillastrate’s songwriting blended soulful grooves with powerful reo expressing aroha and unity in a uniquely Aotearoa voice. The waiata is also the theme song for the Black Caps in TVNZ’s global cricket broadcast.

The pair have been vocal about the importance of championing te reo Māori through contemporary music, noting it is an honour to be able to write and perform in te reo and seeing it as an ongoing commitment.

“As a Pākehā in this space, learning te reo Māori is learning te ao Māori. I encourage everyone to learn as much as they can,” added Tim Driver. “We’re humbled to be a part of this journey, and to share it with our whānau puoro.”

The APRA Maioha win follows the release of their reo Māori single ‘So In Love’ for Mahuru Māori, and their brand new Aotearoa summer jam ‘Feel That Āio’, released last week. The win also signals a rising wave of momentum for the duo off the back of their recent album ‘Ngā Pounamu’, which was nominated for the Taite Music Prize 2025.

“This waiata, and this tohu, is a celebration of the strength, beauty and power of te reo Māori in modern music and in Aotearoa. It’s our privilege to help carry te reo Māori forward, one waiata at a time,” says Kaa.

About Dillastrate:

Dillastrate is an Ōtautahi-based duo known for their uplifting, bilingual music. Both Kaa and Driver have built a reputation as "musical weapons," having performed alongside some of the best in the world, including members of The Rolling Stones, William Singe (the first Māori artist to achieve a billion streams on Spotify) and a recent headlining tour of the Asia Pacific region with Australian break-out superstar Keenan Te. Dillastrate’s live shows are celebrated for their intensity and seamless execution, transforming entire crowds into dance-fuelled celebrations. The duo’s finely-tuned performances make them one of the most exciting touring acts in Aotearoa New Zealand.

www.dillastrate.com

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