Huia Hamon
Introducing the artist.
Huia Hamon is a singer songwriter, producer, publicist, and painter, based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She also has her own range of products featuring her original, hand-drawn designs that are a fusion of nature and contemporary Māori patterns. What’s more, she is the custodian of the archive of her koro, Rei Hamon, one of the most accomplished artists in Aotearoa of the 20th Century.
I first came across Huia’s music during live performances and later caught her set at Splore. As she’s an electronic artist (which is my cup of tea) I was immediately drawn to her work.
You can hear examples of Huia’s stunning music, and see her work, over at iamhuia.com
Q. I try to kick off with a question about your creative life. Here we go. If you were to write a bio about what makes up your creative life, in how it looks today, what would it be? This can be as long or as short as you wish - and can include as much or as little as your past work as you would like to share, beginning with your whakapapa.
Whakapapa: Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-A-Mahaki ki Uawa hoki. Te Tāirawhiti Whenua.
I currently am in music mode with splashes of painting and art design. My creative life also includes strategy, data, administration, online work and Music studio sessions. My own music and working as Rei's publicist and booking manager/tour performer takes some headspace too. I also work on many other projects which include global strategies for Māori Musicians as we are heading over to SXSW Sydney and WOMEX in Europe later this year to talk on some music panels and also perform.
Visual Art wise, I am working my own merch range of customised jumpers and hydration range, I do some designing and artwork licenes as well as curating my family art page Hamon Art. It comes in seasons, but at the moment my creative life and mahi has a global music and indigenous focus.
Q. What are you working on at the moment that is taking up more of your focus than other creative work? That is, what is the creative piece (e.g, your next track) that is what you think about most when you go about your day?
I am working on an album that will take me another year to release. It's called "Kawakawa' and I am to release a track every 6-8 weeks from a 12-track album. The next song is always on my mind, so I'm up to track 3, it’s called 'The Waters' with Pacific Heights (Devin Abram) and my next step is to finish the final vocals, get the te reo Māori checked off with Lois LMcIver, and make the video we filmed in Fiji!
Q. Onto music taste, or the music you are drawn to above others. How would you describe your music palette?
I like a LOT of music and super diverse, but my favourite theme is a mix of tradition, culture and language with a music bed that feel to me, like is wairua (soul), meaning and depth. It's not really about the genre or style I go by feel, so whether it’s a trap song that drops f'bombs, or my fav acoustic feel album (Tracey Chapman), there is a feeling that clicks for me. I also love songs from people I meet such as Meta_ (Portugal), Akawui (Chile), Nimkish (Turltle Island), Miss Kannina (AU). Life is short and the planet is not cheap to travel, but I can have them through their music in my life everyday in between those real life catch ups. I feel lucky they make music for me to enjoy.
Q. Who are the current artists out there - and you can name as many as you wish - that you might say to someone, ‘I really think you should check this person out’. Feel free (no worries if not) to say what it is about the artist’s music and their work that attracts you to it.
My fav at the moment is Rei, even though I hear it a LOT, I still like all his tunes and I know the person and kaupapa behind it. Also, I am loving Snotty Nose Rez Kids as it reminds me of all the 'neechies' I met in Turtle Island, Isaac Chambers and Dub Princess, Erykah Badu, Bic Runga and Teremoana Rapley. My fav te reo Māori artist is still Rui Aperahama
Q. Who are the past artists (this can be everything from musicians to painters to writers, etc) that you have been inspired by? And what is it about their work that draws you to them?
I love classical music, Vivaldi is my favourite, I love all the whack compsition and cesendos. I listen to all the classical masters when I am flying, I find that it makes time go really fast and puts me in an awake/sleep state. I am also inspired by my own whānau, my koro Rei Hamon and my father Awanui, I have a lot of their artwork in my home and it keeps me connected to them through a moment and scenery in their art from my childhood.
Q. Do you need to be in a different ‘space’ so to speak, when painting to writing music? If so, what does that look like? For example, do you need to be uninterrupted and be sitting in a particular place when painting, and it be a time of day etc. Or, can you whenever you wish. I think what I’m trying to articulate here is, if you could pick you ideal environment, and situation for painting, what would it be?
Yes I need a lot of time to myself to be inspired to write music, and often need a week or a series of nigths to paint. If I didn’t have my wonderful family I would paint and do music all day and night. My ideal would be huge house with a lot of helpers to bring me what I need when I need at all times, to do no housework or laundry at all, no interruptions, all the snacks and as much material as I need to create (no budgets or expectations).
“My fav at the moment is Rei, even though I hear it a LOT, I still like all his tunes and I know the person and kaupapa behind it.”
- Huia Hamon
Q. Can we move onto the songwriting process, not so much the how you do it, but, how it feels. So, when you write, what does it feel like?
It can be all types of different ways that it expresses... I have singing torettes which means bursting into song most of the day, like Celine Dion I guess ha ha. When I write music, it varies between a beautiful sensory flow of ideas, and then sometimes, it is super frustrating and I write things, listen back and say AH I HATE IT. I actually have some flow charts showing this process in 15 minutes intervals. Time is the best thing to listen back, as listening back on the day to a music score, or a beat, or a singing session can be painful and counter productive!
Q. I’m keen to attend The Indigenous Music Summit in Tkaronto (Toronto). What can I expect - and what does it mean to be one of the artists involved?
You can expect a community of supportive beautiful humans from around the world talking about real life issues and a better understanding of the creative world. There is nothing better than hearing first-hand experiences from people with loved experiences of that country/demographic/challengers. It's a beautiful place to gain perspective on what you need to do for your creative journey and support others, as well as those you meet as you are all connected in a greater community that expands after each summit.
Q. This is quite a big/heavy question, but I’m keen to ask it as it’s probably fair to say you know our music industry as good as anyone. What changes do you think are needed to improve the industry for both the public and artists who operate below the mainstream? When I say ‘the public’ I’m thinking how it is that perhaps they miss out on hearing some awesome artists (please don’t hesitate to counter this/agree).
We need to address the current environment of slack journalism and paid media advertising, also our small country preferential attachement which profiles the same people over and over again. Aka : doing what is easier, rather than what's right. We need solid support and strategy for woman and minority groups, more funding into developments and a greater emphasis on helping our artists look beyond Aotearoa so they can sustain their careers. (As a starter!) We have a lack of information and support portals available for non-major label artists as well as non-English release.
Q. Creatively, what have you got coming up, either later this year or next year, that you are looking forward to, and why?
I'm really looking forward to doing more international connects in October in Europe at WOMEX24 and I have some new collaborations coming through from Chile and first nation Cymru (Wales) as a starter. As well as releasing these 9 tracks!
Q. Finally, and I know this is overused, but I was wondering if you could share some advice for musical artists who are finding their way, but may either be uncertain about their work, or, feel like they have to be a certain way to find success (a.k.a chasing the streams/likes etc). What guidance can you pass on to them?
Work hard, pay your bills, save your money, be good to people, don’t forget your circle of support, especially the ones who raise you and praise you. The rest of it, you'll work it out on the way, but if you work hard and define your own 'success' whether it’s playing Mainstage Splore (I felt I made it that year and I’m good now lol), doing an overseas gig, releasing a single, you'll be happy... if you praise those moments as success, you can only move forward and unknowingly inspire others as well. I feel this way about my artistic expressions (visual or audio) and I am always so grateful if anyone else enjoys it to.
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Just me (David) jumping in again. Please do head over to iamhuia.com followed by musicbyrei
It’ll be one of the best things you’ll do this week.
“Work hard, pay your bills, save your money, be good to people, don’t forget your circle of support, especially the ones who raise you and praise you.”
- Huia Hamon
Let’s work together.
To make an enquiry, simply send me a message via the form below and I’ll get right back to you. I’m based near Tauranga and work across New Zealand.