Estelle Clifford: Anna Coddington - Te Whakamiha

The release of Anna Coddington’s fourth studio album 'Te Whakamiha' coincided with Aotearoa’s Matariki celebrations. It sports eight uplifting waiata sung in both English and Te Reo, tunes that Coddington describes as her own take on Māori funk.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame podcast
from News Talk said, b.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Takes take, He's.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
Not Oh that's cool. This is Anna Corrington. She's just
released a new album called That song is called Honeyback.
It features Troy Kingy. And it's interesting because I think
she said this album is kind of a funky take,
and that song has certainly got some funky elements A

(00:56):
And obviously Troy Kingy is into a bit of funk
from time to time as well. Anyway, our music review
at cell Cliffe has been listening to the album. She's
Weather's Morning.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
Showed up, Molly Funk, that's where we're going.

Speaker 5 (01:08):
It's very cool, and you know, the first listener was like, oh,
it's got some Prince esque.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
Kind of sound about it. And I think that is
Anna's rhythm.

Speaker 5 (01:16):
Guitar that she does, but also those real strong basslines
and drums that come through. She's a fan of Prince.
I mean, who isn't. And then actually, when all the
things I've read about the album, I'm not alone and
you know, totally that was some of her vibe bring
that album together. And then yeah, like you say, when
you've got collabs like Troy Kingney, he did that whole

(01:37):
funk album that he's done in his ten ten ten collection,
And she actually wrote that Honeybacks because you can hear
it's got a bit of sassy.

Speaker 4 (01:44):
Like take that boy.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:47):
So she was writing that to say to a friend,
you know, take your power back, let him be. But
then she wanted kind of like the guy's perspective of
what's their story, and in her imagination, imagine if the
guy came back and had some apologies and wanted to
take responsibility for what went down. And so it's kind
of where Troy comes in. But God, their voices just
lends so beautifully together. Their whole I think just the

(02:10):
whole manner of those two working together is just such
a beautiful thing.

Speaker 4 (02:14):
This album is.

Speaker 5 (02:14):
Really important because I for me, one of my favorite
albums growing up was Tucky from Mowana and the More Hunters.
When that album came out, it blew my mind that
someone could do a bilingual album and just make to
del Mardy pop just for me. I don't know if
i'd heard that as much as I realized that it
could just be in this mainstream kind of way, and

(02:35):
before you know it, you're like singing along to all
these songs and Todel Mardy.

Speaker 4 (02:39):
And you don't necessarily have to have a full understanding.

Speaker 5 (02:44):
I think you kind of just get taken away with
these catchy hooks and melodies.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
And I mean, what a way to learn a language, right, totally.

Speaker 5 (02:52):
Yeah, If I watched my five year old, you know
she can't read yet, so that's how she learns. She listens,
he takes it on board, and I think that just
continue through your journey of life. And I just think,
what a way to embrace the language then just singing
and when they may gets so catchy into this pop
kind of music. Yeah, you know you're quickly getting sort
of taken away with it. And I think that this
album from Anna is a new version of what that is.

(03:15):
It's got these really slick, funky beats that pull you
in the synth grooves every now and then, and just
a real beautiful blend of language and heart, and I
just think it's really clever and like that combination as
well as just some absolute jams totally, which I think
is really really awesome. The opening track what you're going

(03:37):
to play some of as well.

Speaker 4 (03:41):
It's like even the music video when you see her
in it, it's like.

Speaker 5 (03:45):
Yes, girl, you are just fire in some sets, you know,
like you ain't ready for all the awesome of Anna.
I think it's great because often artists don't empower themselves
like that, you know, like check it out, We've got
something awesome to offer. So it's really refreshing to hear that.
That's my interpretation of the song. Anyways, got her her

(04:07):
coven on the backing vocals. She's admitted they have a
coven chat. Holly Smith, Neck Moore, Julia Dean's are in there.
One of the great tracks you should definitely make sure
you listen to is call your Mother. Okay, amazing bassline.
She really plays with her voice in the verses of
the song. In some of the lyrics, you think that

(04:28):
you don't need me, but I'm the one that makes
the world go round.

Speaker 4 (04:31):
Hello. And it's a good reminder this long weekend you
should call your mother. Yes on your to do list.

Speaker 3 (04:40):
It sounds really good, sounds great, It's.

Speaker 4 (04:42):
Great stellar voice.

Speaker 5 (04:44):
Anda's always had a wonderful voice, and I like how
she's quite sort of quite silky, ah like this quality
to it, but she's quite playful in what she's delivering.
So there's a real fun, energetic vibe about this. And
I think as someone who's done the reclamation journey of
her language, you know, it must just be such joy

(05:04):
to be able to then write in the yeahguage put
that music together, Like I just I really feel there
and I'm like, that's so awesome and it just so
it has a real positive energy and quite danceable.

Speaker 4 (05:15):
Who doesn't need a little boogie.

Speaker 5 (05:16):
Yeah, I don't know around your kitchen or something that's
long with hend while you're calling a mother.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Sounds good sounds for it sounds really good. That's really good.
Have a good listen. Yes, So what do you get?

Speaker 4 (05:27):
Yeah, yeah, it's a ten out of ten.

Speaker 3 (05:28):
Ten, that's fantastic. So that's ten out of ten for
by Anna Cottington. So we'll pick out a good song
to play in a couple of minutes time. Thank you
so much, have a good and we will catch you
again very soon. So ten out of ten for like
I said, we'll play a couple more songs in a

(05:49):
couple of minutes.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
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