Rei (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Pākehā) is an integral part of the Aotearoa Māori music scene for the last few years.

 

Whether he’s rocking the main stage or dropping Māori-infused bangers, Rei’s upbeat multi-genre sound always gets the crowd moving and leaves them empowered, alongside his haka dancer troupe and Māori instruments.

Rei’s music seamlessly bridges Urban and Electronic, with elements of hip hop, pop and dance. With over 15 million Spotify Streams, 7 Waiata Māori Awards and 4 NZ Music Awards nominations, Rei is carving out his space in the world.

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His latest tours include Canada in 26 and Aotearoa NZ, and at Osaka World Expo, Japan 25. He's played to thousands at major festivals like WOMAD24, Electric Avenue, Soundsplash, One Love, AUM, Splore and most of Aotearoa /NZ biggest stages.

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“Being away gives me a fresh perspective on home. It reminded me that te ao Māori is one of the most unique and beautiful cultures in the world. I wanted ‘Never Ceded’ to sound like that, to carry haka, mōteatea and taonga pūoro into a modern hip-hop record.”

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His latest album 'Moisturise and Decolonise' hit the Aotearoa NZ charts top 10, and he has 2 new albums ready to drop in 2027, alongside global co-producer collaborations. These include 'Ancestor NRG' with Handsome Tiger (Canada indigenous), and he has released 'Shark' with Australia's First Nations artist 'Akala Newman' and Tvlon (Canada).

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His official showcases include SXSW Sydney and WOMEX, with his sights set on an Australian tour, a return to Canada, and expansion into Europe and the UK. He also brings in a new group UNCLES, a dance music te reo rap supergroup consisting of Rei, Swizl Jager and Plastic Pounamu. See Tino Kino below!

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