Koia Ko Koe/So True

Everyone knows this song in Aotearoa, whether you're Māori, Kiwi, Pākehā — whatever you are — and to be able to translate that into Maori, it's beautiful.

– Te reo Māori tutor Tawaroa Kawana on helping The Black Seeds record 'Koia Ko Koe', in episode one of Waiata Anthems' 2023 season

The challenging part is making sure I get the pronunciation correct and the rhythm flowing for the recording. Remember, I’m still new to this and very much a beginner with te reo Māori. Also, you are performing on camera the whole time so, although I’m fairly relaxed with that, you still need to be very focused about how you are presenting yourself and at the same time relaxed and spontaneous.

– Black Seeds co-founder Barnaby Weir on his challenges performing in te reo Māori, NZ Herald, 7 September 2023

‘So True/Koia Ko Koe’ is a singalong classic. It’s melodic and catchy and brings with it so many good memories for people. That’s why it’s a perfect choice for Waiata Anthems. It’s a fun and lighter, a familiar track that feels good and sounds good in te reo Māori. And these attributes make it easier to learn and enjoy in te reo Māori too.

– Black Seeds co-founder Barnaby Weir on why 'So True' was translated into te reo Māori, The NZ Herald, 7 September 2023

'So True' is probably our most loved and well-known song, so it makes total sense to translate and deliver something much more familiar in te reo Māori for people to sing along to. Actually, we had been in discussion about doing this for some time. Everyone in the band was right behind the idea and I think that by translating a known Kiwi classic, you can encourage non-te reo speaking fans to get involved and learn something using the song as the waka. It’s meaningful.

– Black Seeds co-founder Barnaby Weir on translating his band's hit song into te reo Māori, The NZ Herald, 7 September 2023