RWC2021: Ladi6 to perform with a local kapa haka group in Whangārei this weekend

Ladi6, seen here performing at the Bay of Islands Music Festival, will headline the RWC2021 games in Whangārei this weekend. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Ladi6 has performed on some of the biggest musical stages and now Whangārei is where she will headline a global sporting event for the first time in her glittering musical career.

The New Zealand recording artist, whose real name is Karoline Tamati, will play during the Women's Rugby World Cup triple header games at the Northland Events Centre in Whangārei on Sunday.

She's known for her energetic live performances, sublime soulful vocals and conscious lyrics. Her distinctive voice features on powerful hit tracks such as Diamonds and Like Water, as well as alongside artists including 50 Cent, De La Soul, Shapeshifter and Fat Freddy's Drop.

Recently Ladi6 released Whāia Te Māramatanga - a te reo version of Walk Right Up as part of the incredible Waiata Anthems album.

Tamati is excited to perform at such a high-profile event in a small regional town, given she has links to Northland.

"I have family up in Kaitaia ... the Cook family. My dad's brother, his kids live up there and I used to live in Snells Beach so I used to cruise up to Whangārei every now and then but mainly to Langs Beach, Waipu and places like that."

She recently played in Kaitaia at an event Ngāti Kurī organised to get people vaccinated against Covid.

"It was such a mean audience, it was super local, everyone was kinda in their gumboots and Swanndris. I don't know if it's gonna be like that necessarily in Whangārei but it was really awesome to do such a big show in a small rural town. I think Whangārei is more like the big little city."

Her music video Like Water was filmed by the sand dunes in the Far North.

On Sunday, she'd be singing songs people know such as Like Water, Walk Right Up, Diamonds and also performing with local kapa haka group Te Matatini.

"We come up a day before to rehearse with the kapa haka group. I think we have less than an hour so hopefully we get to exchange some magic and bring it all to life. I hope they sing along with me.

"This could be my first performance in an international event. I've performed the national anthem once to open the Winter Olympics in Queenstown and that was the only other time I've been involved in a major sporting event.

"I am excited, I have to say post-Covid there hasn't been a lot of opportunities to put shows particularly on this scale so it is really nerve-racking and we've just come back from a tour of Australia doing shows that were sold out to 30,000 people," she said, referring to the Promiseland Festival in Brisbane and the Gold Coast recently.

"So it's like jumping back in the shadow again and I definitely do feel like all the nerves are just starting out. There's a lot of feeling like I haven't done this for a long time."

For World Rugby to bring RWC2021 games to Whangārei was the "most brilliant idea", she said.

"I know for a fact Whangārei has a huge rugby fan base. When I lived up north, I was familiar with some locals around there and they were all huge rugby fans and also I knew a couple of kids I used to do mentoring in Wellsford that were part of the local rugby club."

Her message to Northlanders counting down the days before the games kick off: "Have fun, there's a lot heart and love that's gone into organising this event and it's all for you guys.

"We just want to be a part of something that will give you the best day, the best experience. Aside from my performance, there's a lot of awesome, cool things that's planned, so please get involved."