Marlon Williams: Kiwi musician on his new album 'Te Whare Tīwekaweka'

Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

One of New Zealand’s finest voices, Marlon Williams has released his fourth studio album – written entirely in te reo Māori.

The Kiwi musician has a global presence, having collaborated with the likes of Florence + the Machine, and toured with legends like Bruce Springsteen, bagging six NZ Music Awards and an APRA silver scroll.

But for ‘Te Whare Tīwekaweka’, Williams returned to his roots.

Translating to ‘Messy House’, Williams told Jack Tame the title is a metaphor for the pains of chaos and creation, and how creativity often comes from disorder.

“You have a house full of, of ideas, and, and you sort of sit quietly and let them talk to each other, and then hopefully they form some sort of cohesive thing.”

The idea of writing an album entirely in te reo has been floating around Williams’ brain for a while, he was just waiting for an excuse to begin.

“I grew up speaking a little bit,” he told Tame.

“I went to Kōhanga Reo, but it all sort of drifted away from me again as I went into my, moved on into childhood, into primary school.”

Although he drifted away from speaking the language, Williams didn’t stop singing in te reo.

“It's just such a, a beautifully, a beautifully sung language.”

“I always knew at some point that I was gonna come back around and, and give myself an excuse."

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