Marlon Williams, singer-songwriter from New Zealand, uses his deep vibrato on more than a dozen new original songs written entirely in the Indigenous language Te Reo Maori. It was a years-long endeavor, with songs featuring collaborators like KOMMI and Lorde. 

KEXP contributor Celine Teo-Blockey spoke with Williams in Sydney, Australia last month. He was attending the premiere of the album’s accompanying documentary, Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua – Two Worlds. 

“A big goal for the record was to see what Maori is capable of across different musical worlds,” Williams says in the interview. “Where can this language prove itself? Having now made this record, this makes me want to push it into other areas, too. It feels like a real starting point, not a finish.” 

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