Series Classification: G (General Audiences) | Watch the series here
As New Zealand's cultural landscape expands, artists of Asian heritage are sparking more inclusive conversations through their creative work.
In this short documentary series, 18 Asian-NZ artists from a range of disciplines reflect on how life in Aotearoa informs their work and sense of identity.
In Episode 3, we meet a diverse group of musicians – hip-hop artist Hanju Kim (aka hans.), synth-pop duo Imugi, pop artist Satta Vairowalia and double bass player Umar Zakaria.
hans. & Imugi: Cool to Be You
hans. Photo: Supplied
Yery Cho and Carl Ruwhiu aka Imuji Photo: Supplied
Korean-NZ rapper Hanju Kim (known as hans.) discovered hip-hop at 14 and is making a name for himself as one of Aotearoa's rising hip-hop stars.
Now 23, hans. studies geography at Auckland University when he isn't making killer music videos and creating music. His track 'Froyo' has had over 9 million streams on Spotify.
hans. calls himself the "most northern-born Asian person in New Zealand" as he was born in Kawakawa and grew up in Kerikeri, Bay of Islands. When he was a teenager his family moved to Auckland and hans. finally connected with people like himself.
In 2017, he sprang into the Auckland music scene with his debut EP 1995. Since then, hans. has collaborated with different artists, including Imugi, released two EPs, and performed at SXSW in 2019. He describes his generation of NZ-Asian musicians as "in-betweeners" who are bridging cultural barriers.
With smooth sounds, slick videos made on shoe-string budgets, music fusing kitchy synth-pop and '90s influences, hans. and his collaborators are putting Aotearoa on the international music map while delivering subtle, yet persuasive, political messages about identity and gender.
Korean songwriter and singer Yery Cho (23) and Carl Ruwhiu (24) make up the synth-pop duo Imugi.
As close friends at Rangitoto High School, they both felt like outsiders. Yeri experienced overt racism growing up on the North Shore and while Carl's father is Māori, he doesn't feel comfortable identifying as Māori due to his appearance.
In Carl's bedroom studio, Yeri and Carl create music that explores the complexities of multi-culturalism and challenges Euro-centric power structures.
Carl's partner Cassie makes all their music videos. Imugi performed at Splore Festival 2021 and have 85k+ monthly listeners on Spotify.
Satta Vairowalia: Songs for Punjab
Satta Vairowalia Photo: Supplied
Satta Vairowalia moved to New Zealand in 2011 from Vairowal in India. He's part of a new generation of South Auckland artists creating their own new version of Punjabi pop - a genre gaining popularity worldwide, especially in New Zealand, the UK and Canada where the Punjabi and Sikh diaspora is large.
Things were difficult for Satta when he and his wife Harjeet first arrived in New Zealand and he credits her with being his rock, his equal partner and one of his biggest inspirations.
Currently, Satta is writing songs about the massive farmer protests in India, which he feels very close to because of his own rural upbringing. With his friends in a garage, he creates music about the immigrant struggle, success, making it, and unapologetically owning the trappings of success - bling and cars, etc.
Satta drives a truck in the day and sings at night. His popular music videos, made by filmmakers in India as well as New Zealand, have had been watched by hundreds of thousands of people on YouTube.
Umar Zakaria: Fearless Music
Umar Zakaria Photo: Alec Ho
After seeing the NZ Army band at the age of 7, Umar Zakaria knew it was the double-bass he wanted to play.
Inspired by traditional Malay melodies and modern jazz, Umar makes music that is unafraid, expressive and for people who want to be heard. He unites diverse musical traditions to inspire communication and cooperation across boundaries. In 2018, Umar was named Best Jazz Artist by Recorded Music New Zealand.
He has given performances across Europe, Asia and the USA, and represented New Zealand at the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program, the Banff International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music, and at the BASS2014 International Jazz Bass Competition, where he was awarded second place. Based in Wellington, Umar has developed a reputation for emotionally stirring live performances with his quartet and trio.
Like all artists, Covid-19 has prevented him from touring, but he looks forward to sharing his heartfelt, original music with audiences across New Zealand and internationally, spreading a message of courage and unity through the powerful sound of the double bass.
You can listen to Umar Zakaria here.
Credits:
Kadambari Raghukumar Photo: Supplied
Presenter: Kadambari Raghukumar
Kadambari Raghukumar is an experienced presenter and TV director who was raised by oceanographer parents in Goa on the southwest coast of India and has been living in New Zealand since 2006. During her 14-year media career, she has been a reporter/director for the TVNZ series Asia Downunder and the TV3 series Neighbourhood. Kadambari currently presents Voices - RNZ's weekly series about people from all around the world who now live in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Arani Cuthbert Photo: Diva Productions
Producer: Arani Cuthbert
Arani Cuthbert is an award-winning independent producer and the founder of Diva Productions. She is the long-term manager of New Zealand entertainers The Topp Twins. Arani produced TVNZ's top-rating series Topp Country - a three-time winner at the 2018 TV Awards and the hit documentary The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls which won Best Feature at the 2019 Qantas NZ Film and TV Awards. Arani is currently developing a comedy feature film.
