A Te Whanganui a Tara-based artist and producer, released her alternative-soul, four-track EP, called Buoys yesterday, which includes her powerful new single, Deep Down.
Producer and musician, Moana Ete, known as Mo Etc (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Wheke, Ngāti Hāmoa) says her new EP comes off what she calls 'the album' Oceanbed.
"It's just been two years of what I hope to be creative ascension. It's sort of like going from the Oceanbed, which is what I call the album and then breaking the surface with this EP, Buoys. I didn't really have a huge sort of creative agenda. I think it was just being open over the past two years and from that, I managed to create this EP, a four-track EP, which I'm super proud of, Ete says.
Lots of jobs
Her latest song titled Deep Down showcases her multifaceted talents, as she not only wrote the song but also directed and acted in its accompanying music video.
“When I'm not Mo Etc, I am Moana Ete and I work on stage and film. I produce. I write. I act. I'm always trying to find ways to bridge my music and also my day job … using cinema and theatre and actors that I truly admire and adore.”
Mo Etc was also recently mentioned in a Rolling Stones prediction article as "One of eight Kiwi artists set to take over this year.
“It feels awesome … it’s super humbling but also energising and I just want to keep going in and keep representing.”
With the celebration of Samoan Language Week this week, Mo Etc says she’s enjoying seeing people embrace their culture
“We're still going to be proud, we're still going to use our language and so I'm really grateful for that. But otherwise, it's just another day at the office.”