Ko wai tēnei? is a series profiling inspirational Māori in Aotearoa and beyond. Today, we get to know Māori neo-soul artist MOHI.
Ko wai koe? Nō hea koe?
Ko Mohi tōku ingoa. He uri tēnei nō Te Tai Tokerau whānui, nō Tauranga Moana, nō Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa hoki. I tupu ake ahau ki te uru o Tāmaki, kei Tāmaki tonu ahau e noho ana.
What’s the kaupapa that drives you right now?
Right now, what drives me is making my younger self proud.
This past season I’ve been working on that healing part – mending what’s broken and working through past traumas – and music has been a key part in that journey. I’m getting set to release my latest album, The Flowers That Grow From Concrete Pavements. It’s the biggest project I’ve ever worked on – I’ve poured everything into this one.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Start where you’re at, use what you have and do what you can, and in time, you’ll get to where you want to be.
What’s one challenge you’ve had to overcome on your journey?
One challenge I’ve struggled with is the habit of always trying to please others. I grew up sort of learning those habits, wanting to do right by everybody. But in that process, I often lost sight of my own voice and perspective. By letting go of the desire to please people, and just creating what I want to create, I’ve found that my music has become the most “me” it’s ever been. Doing the music thing for a few years now, I’ve found the more I tune into what’s on my heart and using my own voice, I’m able to truly connect with people, share stories and space, while being authentically myself.
What’s a moment you’re really proud of?
A moment I’ll always be proud of was the moment I chose to go all in on music. Wrote the tunes, saved up all my pingaz, connected with my bro Dan Martin and created my first project, Moments. It’s changed my life in so many ways, taken me around the country and the world.
What does success look like to you?
For me I’m always chasing something bigger. What I thought was success a couple years ago is now something that I’m doing or done. I think success for me now is breaking into the international music scene, touring the world and sharing our reo and our culture with the globe. I’d love to collaborate with fellow indigenous neo-soul, hip hop and R&B artists around the world.
Who are three people you admire and why?
Three people is hard but here’s who’s at the top of my dome:
My cousin Luke – I learnt a lot from him and he’s always someone I’ve looked up to. Taught me a lot about life, how to show love for your people, give without expectations, and go full gas for what you believe in!
Kendrick Lamar – the greatest of all time. His music is undeniable and the way he combines storytelling and life experience with art is unreal. His album Mr Morale & The Big Steppersgot me through this past season, helped me work through some things, and find my way with this music thing.
My uncle Muzz – mahi dog, at every kaupapa, running the thing. Ringa raupā, the guy.
What keeps you grounded?
Training, a good neo-soul playlist, heading to the moana or the bush and being back in the kāinga
What’s one whakaaro you want to leave our readers with?
A whakataukī that’s been on my mind lately and that I think about when I’m entering into new, unfamiliar territory is: Tūwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitu. Feel the fear and do it anyway,
Where are you at the marae hui? In the whare or in the kitchen?
In the kitchen because you can muck around between mahi. You’ve gotta listen and focus in those hui, something I’ve never been good at.
Finally – what’s something about you most people don’t know?
I can make Weetbix four different ways – breakfast, lunch and dinner, baby.
MOHI’s new album The Flowers That Grow From Concrete Pavements is available to stream now.
