Aotearoa (Stan Walker song)

"Aotearoa" is a song by New Zealand recording artist Stan Walker featuring Ria Hall, Troy Kingi and Maisey Rika. It was released as a single through Sony Music Australia on 21 July 2014. "Aotearoa" peaked at number two on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[1]

"Aotearoa"
Single by Stan Walker featuring Ria Hall, Troy Kingi and Maisey Rika
Released21 July 2014 (2014-07-21)
FormatDigital download
Length3:37
LabelSony
Songwriter(s)
  • Stan Walker
  • Ria Hall
  • Troy Kingi
  • Maisey Rika
Stan Walker singles chronology
"Holding You"
(2014)		 "Aotearoa"
(2014)		 "Start Again"
(2015)

An English version of the song was recorded and released on Walker's 2019 EP, Faith Hope Love.

Background

To celebrate Māori Language Week, Walker decided to release his first song completely in Māori, alongside other Kiwi artists Ria Hall, Troy Kingi and Maisey Rika.[2] Inspired by the 1984 song "Poi E" by the Patea Māori Club, (which as of 2014 is the only Māori language song to reach number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart), Walker, Hall, Kingi and Rika took on the challenge to get another Maori song to number one in New Zealand. Of this initiative Walker says, "we all have to connect ourselves back to the mainland where we are all from. I have never been more proud to be Māori. It doesn't matter who you are or where you've come from, to live in New Zealand, you are us and we are you. We are one!"[3] Hall calls the result "a song to celebrate our nation, our landscape, our uniqueness, our language and our people".[4] A portion of the proceeds from "Aotearoa" went towards the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre.[3]

Video

A video was filmed with the artists in various locations around New Zealand, including Taupo and Whangarei. The director was Alice Orr.

Live performances

On 21 July 2014, "Aotearoa" was performed live on Breakfast.[5] On 23 July 2014, the song was performed live on The Edge.[6]

Track listing
  • Digital download[1]
  1. "Aotearoa" – 3:13

Chart performance

"Aotearoa" entered the New Zealand Singles Chart at number two on 28 July 2014; the following week, it fell to number seven.[7]

Weekly charts
Chart (2014) Peak
position
scope="row"New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] 2

Year-end charts
Chart (2014) Position
New Zealand Artist Top 50 Singles[9] 14

Certification
Country Certification
New Zealand Gold[10]

Release history
Country Date Format Label
New Zealand[1] 21 July 2014 Digital download Sony Music Australia

References
  1. "iTunes Aotearoa (Maori Language Week 2014) [feat. Ria Hall, Troy Kingi & Maisey Rika] - Single". iTunes Store (New Zealand). Apple. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  2. "Stan Walker Released new song Aotearoa". morefm.co.nz. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  3. "Aotearoa Stan Walker Ria Hall Maisy Rika Troy Kingi". flava.co.nz. 22 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  4. "Aotearoa 2014". nzonscreen.com. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  5. "Watch Stan Walker Perform Aotearoa" (Press release). tvnz.co.nz. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  6. "Stan Walker performs his new song Aotearoa live" (Press release). www.theedge.co.nz. 23 July 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  7. "STAN WALKER FEAT. RIA HALL, TROY KINGI & MAISEY RIKA - AOTEAROA (SONG)". charts.nz (Hung Medien). Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  8. "Charts.nz – Stan Walker – Aotearoa". Top 40 Singles.
  9. "END OF YEAR CHARTS 2014". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ). 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  10. "Top 20 New Zealand Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
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