Everybody's Trying To Find Their Way Home

Jordyn with a Why (Tainui Āwhiro) grew up in South Auckland immersed in her Samoan culture. It wasn’t until high school, when her Dad suggested she take Te reo Māori instead of French, that a door opened into her cultural identity. Now her days are spent teaching full immersion Te reo Māori while raising her sons with Māori as their first language.

Her debut album Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice is written in rua reo (both Māori ...

When Byllie-jean (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Pahauwera) released her debut EP Filter at the beginning of 2024, she was largely unknown. A year on and she’s become one of the most lauded songwriters in Aotearoa, recently picking up a Taite Music Prize (2025) for Best Debut Album.

Byllie-jean spent her childhood riding horseback beside the Inangahua River in the north-west of the South Island. The influence of the ngahere (...

Whirimako Black (Ngāti Tuhoe, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) is Aotearoa’s undisputed soul diva, and one of the greatest living performers of waiata Māori. While her work has broken new ground for Māori music, her career has never been easy.

When Whirimako released her debut album Hinepukohurangi (Shrouded in the Mist) in 2001, there were very few albums (let alone jazz albums) written and perfo...

Dr. Shellie Morris (Wardaman, Yanyuwa) is a legend in the Northern Territory. Affectionately known as the ‘Mother of Music’, she’s spent the past 25 years writing songs with more than 70 remote bush communities.In that time, Shellie’s learned to sing in 17 different languages – many of which are considered ‘sleeping’ or close to extinction, including her own Yanyuwa tongue.

In this episode, Jen and Shellie head to Kakadu to visit S...

Since releasing their fifth album, Ko Au Te Awa, Ko Te Awa Ko Au, and the first season of this podcast, Jen Cloher not only found their way home, they packed up their life and moved there. They’ve enrolled in a year long Te Reo Māori rumaki (immersive) language course at Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Ōtaki, Aotearoa, NZ.

“Rumaki means to immerse or drown”, Jen explains, “and for a beginner like me, drowning in the Māori language definite...

Welcome to the second season of Everybody's Trying To Find Their Way Home. A podcast where Jen Cloher speaks with Māori and First Nations songwriters who are writing and performing in their languages.

Learn more at https://everybodystryingpodcast.com/

Credits:

Executive Producer/Host: Jen Cloher

Producer/Engineer: Jon Tjhia

Story Editor: Beź Zewdie

Cover Artwork: Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

Layout and Design: Sebastian White

Web Design: Aron...

Breanne Peters (Kai Tahu, Ngāti Ruanui, Te Atiawa) was born in Naarm (Melbourne) and didn’t know anything about her Māori heritage until a trip home to Aotearoa a few years ago that changed the course of her life. Now, the 18 year old artist is on a mission to heal intergenerational trauma so that future generations can have access to their language and culture. She is a passionate advocate for rangatahi Māori (young people) and ha...

Emma Donovan (Gumbangyirr, Yamatji) grew up singing gospel songs in her Nan and Pop’s band The Donovans. She soon went on to tour the world as one of the youngest members of the legendary Black Arm Band. Emma’s released four albums with Melbourne rhythm combo The Putbacks and is currently in the studio making her first solo album. Jen joins Emma and her daughters for an emotional Survival Day at Yabun Festival before heading to La ...

Anna Coddington (Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Te Arawa) was catapulted into the public eye at age 15 when her high school band won a national songwriting competition. Since then she’s released four solo albums, received a degree in socio-linguistics, and has been dedicated to learning Te reo Māori at night classes — all the while raising two young boys. Her album ‘Aho’ (written entirely in the Māori language) recently won Best Te Reo Māori...

Dr. Lou Bennett (Dja Dja Wurrung, Yorta Yorta) is songwriting royalty. A founding member of both the Black Arm Band and ARIA award winning trio, TIDDAS. Lou has spent her life dedicated to what she describes as ‘Sovereign Language Rematriation’ and her passion is traced back to her love for her people and Country. Lou takes Jen home to Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Victoria’s north west to share the heartbreaking story of the Djaara b...

Theia (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tīpa) has earned a reputation for fearless pop music. Now her Māori language project, Te Kaahu o Rangi [Taite Music Prize] has caught the imagination of new fans worldwide. In this episode, Jen and Theia head out to the Waikato River to trace the origins of Theia’s rich songwriting ancestry, dig into the significance of Pai Mārire, and spend time at Theia’s beloved Taupiri.

Find out more about Te Kaahu:...

Jen Cloher (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) was on tour in Aotearoa in 2019 when something happened that changed the course of their life. Four years later, Jen is a new person — about to set out on an international tour (Aus, UK, Europe and Aotearoa) for a new album that weaves their matrilineal language, Te reo Māori throughout. Before they can begin to document other Māori and First Nations experiences, Jen will need to face imposter syndr...

Introducing Everybody's Trying To Find Their Way Home. A podcast where Jen Cloher speaks with Māori and First Nations songwriters who are writing and performing in their tribal languages.

See tour dates and listen to my new album: jencloher.com

Credits:

Executive Producer/Host: Jen Cloher

Producer/Engineer: Mike Williams

Story Editor: Karla Arnall

Cover Artwork: Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

Layout and Design: Sebastian White

Web Desig...