New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde has dropped surprise EP titled Te Ao Mārama. This project, now available on all streaming platforms, serves as the companion piece to her recently released third studio album Solar Power.
This new project has Lorde paying homage to her home country’s historical roots in the name of charity and conservation. The EP features five new versions of songs from the artist’s latest album. All five songs on this project are sung in Māori, the indigenous language of New Zealand. Lorde enlisted the help of Dame Hinewehi Mohi, Sir Tīmoti Kāretu, Hana Mereraiha and Hēmi Kelly for language and translation guidance. The entirety of the proceeds from Te Ao Mārama will go to the New Zealand–based charities Forest and Bird and the Te Hua Kawariki Charitable Trust.
In a newsletter for this project, Lorde provided some background information on the environmentally focused EP and explained why this project was so important to her. Lorde mentions that an important realization uncovered itself while she was recording her EP.
“Many things revealed themselves slowly to me while I was making this album, but the main realization by far was that much of my value system around caring for and listening to the natural world comes from traditional Māori principles,” says the singer.
Though she is not Māori, the singer feels that she shares a common link with her fellow citizens. Lorde cites a shared New Zealand worldwide view that encompasses care-giving and guardianship “for the sky, sea and land.”
“Te ao Māori and tikanga Māori are a big part of why people who aren’t from here intuit our country to be kind of ‘magical’,” writes the singer. As a global ambassador for New Zealand, Lorde feels her new EP puts into words the unique New Zealand experience. Calling Māori a “crazy beautiful language,” the singer expresses how much she loved singing the new versions of her songs and that fans will enjoy the elegance of the tracks on this new EP.
Lorde released Solar Power on August 20. This Jack Antonoff produced record features the hit single “Solar Power,” which is guitar-centric pop song that features backing vocals from fellow artists Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers. Earlier this year, Lorde announced that she will be embarking on a world tour in 2022 in support of her latest album.
Te Ao Mārama Tracklist:
1. Te Ara Tika / The Path
2. Te Ao Mārama / Solar Power
3. Mata Kohore / Stoned at the Nail Salon
4. Hua Pirau / Fallen Fruit
5. Hine-i-te-Awatea / Oceanic Feeling
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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