Latest news with #Anthems
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
GENEVA AM Shares New Song Toitū Te Tiriti
Press Release – Naked PR July 4, 2025: Geneva AM is the moniker of Geneva Alexander-Marsters (she/her, Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Aitutaki, Palmerston), an award winning producer, beat maker and vocalist based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Her bilingual approach to songwriting has been prominent throughout her musical career, most notably with the band SoccerPractise (2012-2018) and her debut release IHO (Waiata / Anthems). IHO went on to win Te Tohu Puoro o te reo Māori (Favourite Song featuring Te Reo Māori) at the 2023 Student Radio Network Awards. In 2024, she released the single 'T(M)²I' (Tangaroa Made Me Ill) in two versions (te reo and English), followed by ' Pikipiki ' which amassed over 200,000 streams on Spotify. A seasoned live performer, Geneva AM has recently performed alongside Anna Coddington, Ladi6 and Suzi Cato. Today Geneva AM releases Toitū Te Tiriti, a call to action to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an invitation for everyone to speak te reo Māori. Toitū Te Tiriti is taken from her debut album Pikipiki (out August 15th on digital and Vinyl LP). Agile and precise string arrangements convey defiance and resistance while volleying with Geneva AM's powerful and dynamic vocal performance throughout Toitū Te Tiriti. The song is a call to action for everyone to honour Te Tiriti and an invitation for everyone to speak Māori. Using repetition in a simple lyrical format, Geneva AM refers to the mountains, rivers and the people as a reminder to the listener of the natural landmarks which feature in a pepeha. Geneva explains 'For this waiata, I wanted to make a series of statements because I believe the power of singing words out loud can positively influence people who may need to draw strength and keep going with their kaupapa. I made this waiata very quickly in response to witnessing the greed of our current coalition government. Watching the Toitū movement unfold last year was a monumental part of our history, especially as we saw the Treaty Principles Bill get thrown out.' 'The overall message of this single is a window into the theme around the album. 'All hope is not lost'. 'Pikipiki' means to ascend, this body of work is about overcoming obstacles and never giving up. Now more than ever we need to stand for what we believe in and support each other through this next stage of humanity' Toitū Te Tiriti was composed with help from Eric Scholes (who regularly performs with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and NZ Barok Orchestra) and features performances by a seven piece string ensemble. 'I wanted strings for this waiata because they are capable of harnessing these deep layers of immense emotion. The lyrics are quite simple and repetitive. I'm a pretty blunt person! Having these layers of tones painting the emotions which swirl underneath the surface like a rolling ocean really holds together this waiata in a way I could never have imagined!' 'Eric and I have worked together for almost 20 years in a couple of covers bands (shoutouts Coco-Rocky) and I knew in the back of my mind that it would be cool to work on something like this with him one day. I told Eric that regardless of what he comes up with, I trust him. We talked a lot about all of the complicated feelings around Te Tiriti (especially during the lead up to the epic resistance to the Treaty Principles Bill that was introduced). On one hand I see this initial promise that was made by our collective ancestors to live in harmony and then on the other there is no denying the historical acts of violence that continuously broke the premise of that promise. 185 years later we can see the results of this partnership between Tangata Whenua and The Crown. I feel angry and sad about it but I have to remain hopeful and strong so that we can uphold the mana of Te Tiriti for the next generation.' Scholes concurs 'I wanted to get to the core message of the song – a feeling of defiance, stoicism, hope and start from there. I worked on it over many months, taking long breaks between sessions so it felt fresh and each time I would have different inspiration – Tchaikovsky, Rameau, Joy Division to name a few. At times I would try to follow voice leading rules and at others I just went full power chord.' 'I didn't want to stray too far from Geneva's original conception so I applied a bit of a punk ethos of keeping it simple. Drawing from our background of playing rhythm based music, I treated the strings like a rhythm section in a band. Keeping the groove driving and then adding some melodic stuff in the interlude. I had this idea of a furiously busy string texture cooking up a storm for the vocal part to simmer and soar on top.' He reflects 'I'm thrilled to have worked on something with such depth and meaning and also to collaborate with Geneva in this capacity has been really special.' 'Hearing the first take made me well up,' says Geneva. 'It's so uplifting to hear, especially with everything that is happening in the world right now. Initially I made something that was purely for my own survival and now I am ready to gift this waiata to everyone.' On August 15 Geneva AM will release her debut album ' Pikipiki ' which intends to uplift the wairua and encourage the listener to overcome life's obstacles. Geneva AM will be playing across many genres which serve as a backdrop for her strong vocals and bilingual lyrics. She has also paid homage to waiata she grew up with, providing a modern treatment of Purea Nei by Hirini Melbourne, Pokarekare Ana by the returning soldiers of WWI and Tutira Mai Ngā Iwi by Wiremu Te Tau Huata. Pikipiki takes a piecemeal approach to genre, utilising Classical, Dance, Drum'n'Bass, and Emo Rock to accompany new bilingual songs and reimagined covers of Aotearoa favourites—such as 'Pokarekare Ana,' 'Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi,' and 'Pūrea Nei.' The album features a number of collaborations, with appearances from Mara TK, Hawkins, Samara Alofa, and Rewi McLay, alongside the puoro of Tyson Campbell (Pikipiki); The Deadly Sins arranged by Eric Scholes (Toitū Te Tiriti); Ruby Walsh (Na Noise, Lips); Fiona Campbell (Guardian Singles, Coolies) and Lani Purkis (Elemeno P) on 'Pokarekare Ana.'
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
GENEVA AM Shares New Song Toitū Te Tiriti
July 4, 2025: Geneva AM is the moniker of Geneva Alexander-Marsters (she/her, Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Aitutaki, Palmerston), an award winning producer, beat maker and vocalist based in Tāmaki Makaurau. Her bilingual approach to songwriting has been prominent throughout her musical career, most notably with the band SoccerPractise (2012-2018) and her debut release IHO (Waiata / Anthems). IHO went on to win Te Tohu Puoro o te reo Māori (Favourite Song featuring Te Reo Māori) at the 2023 Student Radio Network Awards. In 2024, she released the single 'T(M)²I' (Tangaroa Made Me Ill) in two versions (te reo and English), followed by ' Pikipiki ' which amassed over 200,000 streams on Spotify. A seasoned live performer, Geneva AM has recently performed alongside Anna Coddington, Ladi6 and Suzi Cato. Today Geneva AM releases Toitū Te Tiriti, a call to action to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and an invitation for everyone to speak te reo Māori. Toitū Te Tiriti is taken from her debut album Pikipiki (out August 15th on digital and Vinyl LP). Agile and precise string arrangements convey defiance and resistance while volleying with Geneva AM's powerful and dynamic vocal performance throughout Toitū Te Tiriti. The song is a call to action for everyone to honour Te Tiriti and an invitation for everyone to speak Māori. Using repetition in a simple lyrical format, Geneva AM refers to the mountains, rivers and the people as a reminder to the listener of the natural landmarks which feature in a pepeha. Geneva explains 'For this waiata, I wanted to make a series of statements because I believe the power of singing words out loud can positively influence people who may need to draw strength and keep going with their kaupapa. I made this waiata very quickly in response to witnessing the greed of our current coalition government. Watching the Toitū movement unfold last year was a monumental part of our history, especially as we saw the Treaty Principles Bill get thrown out.' "The overall message of this single is a window into the theme around the album. 'All hope is not lost'. 'Pikipiki' means to ascend, this body of work is about overcoming obstacles and never giving up. Now more than ever we need to stand for what we believe in and support each other through this next stage of humanity' Toitū Te Tiriti was composed with help from Eric Scholes (who regularly performs with the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and NZ Barok Orchestra) and features performances by a seven piece string ensemble. 'I wanted strings for this waiata because they are capable of harnessing these deep layers of immense emotion. The lyrics are quite simple and repetitive. I'm a pretty blunt person! Having these layers of tones painting the emotions which swirl underneath the surface like a rolling ocean really holds together this waiata in a way I could never have imagined!' 'Eric and I have worked together for almost 20 years in a couple of covers bands (shoutouts Coco-Rocky) and I knew in the back of my mind that it would be cool to work on something like this with him one day. I told Eric that regardless of what he comes up with, I trust him. We talked a lot about all of the complicated feelings around Te Tiriti (especially during the lead up to the epic resistance to the Treaty Principles Bill that was introduced). On one hand I see this initial promise that was made by our collective ancestors to live in harmony and then on the other there is no denying the historical acts of violence that continuously broke the premise of that promise. 185 years later we can see the results of this partnership between Tangata Whenua and The Crown. I feel angry and sad about it but I have to remain hopeful and strong so that we can uphold the mana of Te Tiriti for the next generation.' Scholes concurs 'I wanted to get to the core message of the song - a feeling of defiance, stoicism, hope and start from there. I worked on it over many months, taking long breaks between sessions so it felt fresh and each time I would have different inspiration - Tchaikovsky, Rameau, Joy Division to name a few. At times I would try to follow voice leading rules and at others I just went full power chord.' 'I didn't want to stray too far from Geneva's original conception so I applied a bit of a punk ethos of keeping it simple. Drawing from our background of playing rhythm based music, I treated the strings like a rhythm section in a band. Keeping the groove driving and then adding some melodic stuff in the interlude. I had this idea of a furiously busy string texture cooking up a storm for the vocal part to simmer and soar on top.' He reflects 'I'm thrilled to have worked on something with such depth and meaning and also to collaborate with Geneva in this capacity has been really special.' 'Hearing the first take made me well up,' says Geneva. 'It's so uplifting to hear, especially with everything that is happening in the world right now. Initially I made something that was purely for my own survival and now I am ready to gift this waiata to everyone.' On August 15 Geneva AM will release her debut album ' Pikipiki ' which intends to uplift the wairua and encourage the listener to overcome life's obstacles. Geneva AM will be playing across many genres which serve as a backdrop for her strong vocals and bilingual lyrics. She has also paid homage to waiata she grew up with, providing a modern treatment of Purea Nei by Hirini Melbourne, Pokarekare Ana by the returning soldiers of WWI and Tutira Mai Ngā Iwi by Wiremu Te Tau Huata. Pikipiki takes a piecemeal approach to genre, utilising Classical, Dance, Drum'n'Bass, and Emo Rock to accompany new bilingual songs and reimagined covers of Aotearoa favourites—such as "Pokarekare Ana," "Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi," and "Pūrea Nei." The album features a number of collaborations, with appearances from Mara TK, Hawkins, Samara Alofa, and Rewi McLay, alongside the puoro of Tyson Campbell (Pikipiki); The Deadly Sins arranged by Eric Scholes (Toitū Te Tiriti); Ruby Walsh (Na Noise, Lips); Fiona Campbell (Guardian Singles, Coolies) and Lani Purkis (Elemeno P 'Pokarekare Ana.'
Wales Online
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Liam Gallagher says 'don't be ridiculous' as he joins Oasis rehearsals
Liam Gallagher says 'don't be ridiculous' as he joins Oasis rehearsals The band will be performing in Cardiff on July 4 and 5 in what will be a landmark moment in music history Liam Gallagher has batted off talk of nerves ahead of the Oasis reunion next month (Image: Corbis via Getty Images ) Liam Gallagher has batted off talk of nerves as "ridiculous" as he and the rest of Oasis met up for the first time to rehearse ahead of their historic reunion which starts in the Welsh capital next month. One of Britain's biggest ever bands, Oasis revealed last August that they would finally be reuniting after a 16-year wait, in a moment many avid fans thought would never come. They will be performing at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 4 and 5, in what will be a landmark moment in music history, making their reunion official. Ahead of their arrival at the home of Welsh rugby, Liam updated fans how preparations were going on Tuesday afternoon. He wrote on X: "We have LIFT OFF Rastas sounded f****** FILTHY I'll tell thee that there for hardly anything LG x" Fans asked questions of the Oasis front man in response, including one fan, who asked: "Were you nervous?" Liam replied: "Don't be ridiculous." From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Article continues below Noel Gallagher, 57, left the Manchester rock group on August 28, 2009, stating he "simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer". The brothers have been publicly critical of each other for over a decade., but, this changed with the announcement of the tour. The pair posed together for several photos, confirming the long-awaited reunion of the band with the message: "The great wait is over." In April, Oasis' 'Live Forever' was named the best British song of all time in a new poll. The Manchester band had an impressive 16 tracks in the top 100 Best of British countdown by Radio X. Anthems Live Forever, Don't Look Back In Anger, Slide Away and Champagne Supernova also made the top 10. Article continues below You can find last-minute hotels, airbnbs and places you can stay on both gig nights by clicking here.
BBC News
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Radio 1's Big Weekend: Sugababes and Natasha Bedingfield to play
Sugababes and Natasha Bedingfield have been added to the line-up for BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in were announced by Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Greg James earlier as Anthems headliners for the festival in Sefton Park from 23 – 25 Fender, Tom Grennan and Mumford & Sons have already been announced as the main headline acts, with Myles Smith, Wet Leg, Blossoms and Lola Young also on the bill. Natasha Bedingfield, who'll perform on the Friday, says being added to the line-up is "a big deal". "I can't wait to jump up on stage and sing my heart out with everyone," the Unwritten singer says. "Let's hope some inhibitions get released."Unwritten returned to the charts last year, almost 20 years since it was first released, after featuring in 2023 film Anyone But You and going on to soundtrack hundreds of thousands of TikToks as a result. It lead to Natasha being brought out to perform the viral song during Ella Henderson's Big Weekend set last year. Sugababes, who attracted a huge crowd for their Glastonbury set last year, say they're "buzzing" to be heading to Liverpool."We've heard amazing things about the energy and the crowds, so we're excited to be part of it this year. "Expect a lot of love, big tunes, and a show to remember."The 90s band reunited with the original line-up of Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy in 2019 and are currently on tour and working on new music. More than 100,000 fans are expected to attend Big Weekend, which will have about 100 acts will be performing across four stages - however some fans previously expressed disappointment at the lack of female headliners. This latest announcement from Radio 1 comes after it previously told BBC Newsbeat that once all the acts had been confirmed, the line-up would be "60% female".However the station accepted there was "more that needs to be done to improve the representation of women", adding that "Radio 1 will continue to advocate for this on a wider scale". Anthems headliners are a new addition to the festival since the Radio 1 Anthems extension which launched on BBC Sounds last November. Last week, media regulator Ofcom said they were planning to approve Radio 1 Anthems for broadcast too. Aled Hayden Jones, head of Radio 1, says Natasha and Sugababes are a "perfect example" of "bringing people together through the music they love"."These acts have soundtracked unforgettable moments for our audience and continue to resonate with listeners today – whether they're rediscovering the songs or discovering them for the first-time."Sets from the festival will be broadcast across BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
