Daphiney Owen, aka 'Vox Dawn', serves up a soul-stirring, earthy, lyrical banquet with the release of her single, 'It Is Well'. The waiata talks about mana motuhake and the never-ending battle at Ihumātao and is the first track from her debut EP, 'Sacred Spaces.'
Owen is a singer with beautiful harmonies, but also an artist standing for a cause.
"I feel honoured to have gone with the roopu there, to travel, to see, to experience, to engage in this kaupapa. To hear the stories, not just what's happening to Ihumātao, but also throughout our whenua."
Owen uses her talent to be vocal politically, to voice her opinion on current topics that are ongoing issues for Māori.
"I feel like this is my opportunity to be able to speak about these particular subjects, you know, not necessary issues, but subjects that I acknowledge and I'm able to draw back from our tūpuna."
She's continuously challenging the status quo through her music and takes inspiration from leaders who came before our generation.
"I'm all about lyrics, it talks about the war that rages inside of me, that is a continual thing that I see in our people. And I think about the stories of Princess Te Puia, I think of Sir Apirana Ngata from Te Araroa, ways I think about Te Whiti. I think about Whina Cooper," she says.
Owen says the fight for our freedom will never stop. "It's okay to be a people who whawhai, you know fighting forward."
Her new EP 'Sacred Places' is available now on all streaming platforms.