It was a four-year effort — writing, editing, thinking of beats and what she wanted.
“When I turned 21, my dad pushed me to follow my passion of singing and join the Wānanga to learn more about making music from (tutor) Tyna Keelan,” Raiha said.
“I was a bit nervous as I am a bit introverted at times, but can be extroverted too. I also have dyslexia which means classroom spaces don't really work for me. But when I walked into Tyna's class and saw all his equipment I was intrigued.
“I wasn't aware that he was my uncle at first but when he introduced himself to my class he said to me, ‘I'm probably your uncle'. I felt so comfortable so it was sweet as.”
When Raiha went to the class for the first time, Tyna made it clear he did not want to be seen as a teacher — he wanted to work alongside his students.
“I explained to him that I am a little bit dyslexic and I was worried about my writing skills. I felt like they weren't up to what I wanted them to be like.
“He instantly understood and would add in some creative flow to what I had written. My type of writing was always more like I was writing a poem or I would repeat myself a lot, so I'd always just ask him to check it, and then he would try to teach me how to cut words down or change some and it all worked.”
Raiha says they have a great working relationship.
“He's brutally honest, tells me if I am flat, or too sharp when singing. Some people would get cut up about the way we communicate sometimes, but I love and appreciate the honesty. I'm a huge critic of my own work so working with someone who understands the way I work is an absolute bonus.”
At Manutuke School Raiha focused on her skills and passions for singing and performing.
“Kapa haka has been my whole life.”
Raiha also had the opportunity, at 13, to join the Wellington theatre company Taki Rua, when she and a young classmate were contracted to work with them.
“So I was performing all the time,” she says.
“That's what I wanted to do. I love storytelling and that was the best way to get my messages across.”
When Raiha finished high school, she decided to go to Wellington to do what she calls, “her own thing”.
She studied fashion and makeup artistry at Weltec and once she finished she didn't know what to do but knew it wasn't time to come back to Gisborne.
So she asked her aunt Toni Stewart, who lives in Melbourne, Australia, if she could move over there with her.
“She worked in theatre for years working in the Lion King Broadway and was performing in a rock band and also a disco band as the lead singer, so I asked if I could come and join.”
Raiha made the decision and moved to Melbourne to sing in a band, The Force, that her aunt was in.
“This was my first time singing without kapa haka, and without theatre being a part of it,” Raiha said.
“I was the baby of the band, I was 18 and everyone else was in their 40s and 50s.
“I felt comfortable to do what I wanted to do and I had the support. There was no judgement — they were all artists and understood the music industry with their own skills as musicians.”
Raiha says her aunty was the one who fave her her first big push to do music outside of Aotearoa.
Her aunty taught her what microphone was best for her voice and what types of songs suited her sound.
“I started doing ‘Don't Stop Believing'by Journey — that's one of my go to's.
“My mum and aunty were some of my singing inspirations. Of course I always looked at Beyonce but I am a realist. So I always thought about ‘how am I going to do that'?”
After the couple of months in Melbourne she decided to come back home to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.
She was working as a housekeeper at Gisborne Hospital, but her father had some wise words that she is grateful to have followed. “I think you should really do your music,” he told her.
“He bought me my first guitar when I was 10, and I still have it with me going on 15 years now. He has always believed that I could do this music thing and so he pushed me to do it.”
That was how she ended up in Tyna Keelan's music production class at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
Now with the song and video out she is getting used to anybody in the world being exposed to her music.
“I'm still getting used to people complimenting me on my music but all I can say is ‘Thank you'.”
Raiha's young cousins and her best friend feature in the music video along with Manutuke Marae and Toko Toru Tapu Church — all of which have strong connections for her.
“For me that represents both sides of my family that were brought up in karakia. The church is a safe space for me.
“I always reference the Lord and I always pray to all my angels. I know they are listening and I wanted to manifest this lifestyle of living creatively for myself and I am completely happy about where I am.”
Raiha's next big release is an EP titled Kōiwi. Some work is still to be done so keep an eye out for its release in the new year.
■ Raiha Moetara is on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
