Maōri artist TĪPARE is no stranger to the music industry. Having grown up with a musician father and a mother in the music industry, it’s been a strong presence in her life from a young age. “I was raised in multiple places – from the Hawksberry River to Aria in the King Country, Sydney, Los Angeles, before landing in New York. When I was little, I slept in my father’s guitar case at shows and watched my [modelling] mother be photographed on days off. She was beautiful and I was obsessed with her wardrobe. My father was deep and seeped me in the sounds of musical legends.”

A storyteller who has crafted a career as a multidisciplinary artist, activist, director, and producer, whether she is telling her stories through music, visual arts, fashion or documentary – TĪPARE skilfully weaves together the knowledge she has collected from her life experiences and funnels it into her art.

TĪPARE’S father Chris Piper, was in Australian band The Mangrove Boogie Kings – their popularity penned in a song by country legend Slim Dusty. Her mother, Linda Piper, worked at Schubert Sound Systems, a live sound equipment supplier and rehearsal facility in Hollywood, where she worked for over a decade, exposing TĪPARE to an array of musicians behind the scenes such as The Eagles, Michael McDonald, Fleetwood Mac, New Edition and Snoop Dogg among many others. As a teen TĪPARE was immersed in West Coast beats culture, soaking up acts like Pharcyde, Digital Underground, A Tribe Called Quest, Tupac and Wu Tang Clan at local clubs. This exposure to diversity of sound is played out in her eclectic sonic tastes.

TĪPARE continued her musical and artistic journey by heading across to New York at 17 on her own into an exciting music scene, finding herself regularly at iconic Giant Steps and SOB’s club gigs, and swept away in the vibrant art and dance music scene before finding herself in a job that gave her a sense of stability. “In my early 20s, I spent 2 years as a Production Assistant touring every State in America with Steely Dan. I was really close with the band and crew and in retrospect being under their wing and listening to those live shows every night is a major part of who I am also.”

Even though much of her upbringing was overseas, as well as many of her early musical influences, she has always maintained enduring whānau roots and connections in Aotearoa – where she returned to live in her 20s straight back into the arms of her hapū and iwi. “I’m Māori through and through on the inside… on the outside, its a little hard for people to recognise (laughs). But I’m used to being comfortable in the uncomfortable.”

Tipare’s latest musical project ‘Stellar, he wai’ is an ode to her Māori roots, incorporating traditional style waiata (song) front and centre, with elements of eclectic musical scoring supporting the endeavour.

Following on from her single ‘Abstract’, artist Tīpare releases ‘B-Side’ ‘Quicksand’.

Taking her cue from when singles were commonly released on vinyl with an A-side and a B-side, this new track was written in her homeland area of Aria in Te Nehenehenui and showcases her diversity of musical taste. 

“I was living back in my rohe surrounded by the hills of my people and I remember having this distinct sense about the depth of indigenous love. This powerful feeling that no one should ever underestimate the intensity of historical love. It felt like a film in my head.

Tīpare says she always knew she wanted piano on the track, so sent a close friend an acapella recording of the song, which he sent back a recording with exactly what she wanted.  

“He’s an African American and Native pianist, and it felt like, from that union, I had a responsibility to make something that respected all of us. I spent many nights and days uncovering the additional soundscape I wanted.”

Being influenced by spacial-driven producers like James Blake and Frank Ocean, where the “wairua lives in each sound,” Tīpare worked once again entrusted award-winning engineer Neil Baldock with the mix.

“I’m very grateful for how Neil handled the mix with such insight and grace. He is a huge part of bringing my imagination to life in musical form.”  

As with ‘Abstract’, the artist wrote, arranged, performed, recorded and produced ‘Quicksand’ – something that has been hugely important to her.  

Tīpare is a wahine clearly paving her own path, creating music that feels both nostalgic and contemporary – going from a club in 70s Los Angeles, to a 2000s Bloc party in New York – or a whare in Aotearoa. Fueled with stories to tell and the skills to create, Tīpare is an artist to watch.

Artist Tīpare releases single ‘Party Calls’ after historic Black Ferns Women’s Rugby World Cup win. “I wrote and recorded the song last year in lockdown after thinking, I wish the world would treat all wāhine and girls like world champion rugby players, where we can throw ourselves passionately into our work, make mistakes publicly along the way, and still be supported. And when the girls win…everyone’s happy! And then, it happened!”

The song was originally slated to be released the following year, but Tīpare knew the timing around this one was too important to miss. “I really wanted to live this one out in real time alongside everyone else. As artists you want to offer what you can to kaupapa that effect all of us, and this was my way of showing how much the celebrations have meant.”

The song is a co-production between the artist and Simon Holloway, with Tīpare’s trusted dream team of Neil Baldock mixing the track and ‘Gene the Machine’ at Oasis in Hollywood mastering. Respected visual artist ‘na_cuz’ jumped on board to create the cover art. “He’s encapsulated the vibe of song, the energy of the time, and the wairua of what we’ve experienced.  My little team pulled together a fun video edit of the Black Ferns, themselves, whānau and friends as well. A lot of people worked to help me get this out earlier. It’s been a cool exercise in mahi tahi (collaboration).

‘Party Calls’ is an upbeat dance song ready for the clubs, the cars, and the caravans.

“We’ve all had a tough last few years, I want to keep these good vibes we’ve just experienced going all through summer. The party’s calling us!” 

‘Party Calls’ is out on all music platforms.