Interview: Kahu

1. How did this all start, did you grow up loving music, singing. Was this always a dream for you?

I'm such an emotional person, like, that's where I start, and it's very easy for me to express those emotions through music. I used to do a lot of basketball, and that was my outlet, and then I slowly got worse knees and didn't play it as much. There's only one thing that’s constant, and that is music. That's the only thing that's allowed me to do all that stuff. I've got a very tough family, but we all love each other. There's been so many times where they said, ‘oh my God, that was cool’ and then others when they’re like ‘please don't sing right now’. But it's something that I just will always do. Back when I was in high school, I started composing music after Dad got me a MacBook. I think that was just after 2012. I made a song and showed Dad, and he was like, "Oh, my God, I wish I had this technology”, and then I kept trying to put things together and I eventually made a song and thought that was cool.

2. Who are your music inspirations/ do you look up to?

That's relevant with the new album. A lot of it is to do with the Māori resurgence, I think naturally I do tie a lot of my Māori side into music. My parents are very musical too so I that has weaved its way into what I do now.  I have my favourite artists that I listen to all the time but then I’ll go to the gym and listen to rap or whatever genre suits the vibe at the time, I guess that helps to overall influence the sound I then try to create, pulling bits for all genres.  In terms of idols, I go to J. Cole straightaway. I love his whole demeanour when it comes to just being cool. He's like, so famous, but he's so family orientated, wears normal clothes, would be seen in the street riding a bike. and would stop and talk to you. I always want to have that approach. be super normal have a lot of inspiration come from him. There's also lots of local artists like David Dallas, Homebrew and Tom Scott. I love that sound and what they do and stand for.

3.     What keeps you motivated?

I always relate my music to different emotions, so you’re happy as one time, you're sad as in another, but you can capture that, and then you can emulate it through song, and that kind of helps me. It's not about being, ‘successful’, but more so translating a particular feeling that I have and then seeing someone else connect to that, that's the best possible thing that I can feel. For example, performing, it's lucky that I'm performing and I've got this opportunity, but when you see someone in the crowd and they kind of feel a particular emotion, I have this one song, Kia Kaha, and it's a really sad song, but you see people relate to it in different ways, like, feeling the sad emotions, even getting a little teary and then the next song's super happy and they vibe to that. I think that is what articulates success, in my opinion. And I really would encourage that for anyone. It's not about getting a cheque or all of that type of stuff, it’s about making people feel something.  

4. You’re also mid tour, with Ladi 6, tell us about this, how did it come to be, how     are you finding it?

It’s been such an amazing experience, big thanks to Ladi and the crew. It all started last year when I saw Ladi was performing and Noé, a local artist in Wellington. I reached out to Ladi to ask how I could get involved in something like that, and she replied – which I wasn’t expecting at all, she was so nice and wanted to know more about me. Low and behold I was at an event later in the year so told Ladi she should come along to check it out, which she did and even posted me on her story and from there we kept the conversion going – Internally I was like please don’t forget about me. And then one day I got an email from Ladi and her team asking if I wanted to join her on tour and the rest is history.

5.     You also have your album out, Ferrari, tell us about this, the inspiration, the process, the meaning behind it.

It's called Ferrari. which is super cool, and it’s based off the topics of Māori resurgence or finding your identity. For me, it's really tying to find who I think I'm meant to be and embracing that. I've found it quite a strange journey, I was born in Australia, dare I say, (I still go for the All Black’s!) and I have found it quite difficult to embark on that journey of saying, I am Māori. The album as a whole is about finding who you are and trying to embrace that, showcase it and be proud of that.

6.     How do you find your process with the music videos/ creatives with your music, is this something you have a strength/ can visualise as you’re making the music or does it just work itself out closer to the time?

I’m a very weird, (and I think all creative people will say the same thing), ideas person. So, like, if I'm driving past a weird looking tree, I'm like, wow, that would look so cool in a photo frame on the wall. I guess I’m just always creating, and anyone that is creative, in my opinion, would say the same thing. It's annoying because I can't sleep sometimes, you’ll suddenly be like I have this idea, and I must write it down straight away, like it just hit you, right? Oh my gosh, this is the coolest idea ever, so for music video translation. I'm always creating an idea in my head lyrically or musically.

7.     What do you have coming up that you can share with us?

So, we've just done this album, huge, big part of me that's gone out. We’re finishing off the Ladi 6 tour and then, after that, I'm going to keep pushing for things like getting spots to perform at end of the year festivals and all that sort of stuff. And then my next project is called 3 a.m. It’s a completely different me, it’s about past experiences and, you It's more on that OG Drake type of energy. I’m really excited about it.

What burger do you think Ferrari’ would be if it were on the BF menu and why?
I could go a few ways, but I'm gonna say the Bastard burger, because I'm actually a Bastard (I was born before my parents are married lol). That burger’s got a little bit of everything going on. The album is so good, and that burger is so good, so I relate that to that.

What would your ideal BF burger contain?
I am a pineapple in a burger person and pickles so I'm gonna get those inthere straight away. Then Beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickled ginger, Aioliof course, peri peri mayo and onion rings to pull it all together.

Sound Check, Vibe Check

1. What is your go to song to Jam out to in the car? Hold on we're going home by Drake
2. Who is your favourite artist at the moment? Adele
3. One thing you can’t perform without? A basketball hoop.
4. One artist or band you would love to co-lab with? Arden
5. Go to BurgerFuel order? BBQ Bacon Roadster, Kumara fries and a beer.

‍