Sounds like Aotearoa

From bagpipes to hip hop—and the juicy local music in between.

Sounds like Aotearoa series and films

Against a black background, a group of opera singers sing. The green text reads: "Toiere."

Toiere

Toiere reimagines opera through the lense of Aotearoa's rich cultural tapestry.
Film
1h 21m
Six seperate images arranged in two rows of three, content of the photos include, a man playing a trumpet, graffiti, a group shot of four men. Text across the middle reads, "Marauders".

MARAUDERS

Glorious handycam footage from the Fat Freddy's Drop 2003 debut European tour.
4 seasons/28 episodes
9m
A man standing with his arms crossed looking at the camera, he has visible tattoos on both forearms. He's highlighted with a blue light. Text reads, "NZ Hip Hop Stand Up" in neon green and pink.

NZ Hip Hop Stand Up

The stories behind some of the most influential tracks in Aotearoa hip hop.
2 seasons/14 episodes
9m
Three figures from different original images have been edited so that they're all standing next to each other and are of varying sizes. All three people are in the midst of performing. The background in a flat bright red colour. Text in the style of graffiti reads, "The Collective". A spray painted illustration of a crown appears above the 'e' in 'Collective'.

The Collective

Six young musicians on a powerful journey of self-discovery.
8 episodes
16m
Person on purple background resting their head in their hand. Only their head and chest is visible. Purple text along bottom of image reads, "AMPLIFIED".

Amplified

Spotlights artists who use music to embrace and explore their cultural roots
5 episodes
15m
The back of a woman walking down a path, she's wearing white pants and a silver shiny top with silver tassels coming off the back and arms. Her arms are outstretched. Text reads, "Inside Splore".

Inside Splore

We meet five local acts as they take centre stage at Splore Festival.
5 episodes
5m
Two people holding microphones and singing into them, another person stands behind playing a keyboard piano. The scene is lit with a purple hued light. Text reads, "The Barber Shop Sessions".

The Barber Shop Sessions

Celebrating waiata Māori & the talented new wave of grassroots musical artists
6 episodes
6m
The side profile of a man holding a guitar with a microphone on a stand in front of him. Text reads, "Legacy: Katchafire" and has a boarder around the perimeter of the frame.

Katchafire: Legacy

Katchafire's journey through creative differences & a changing music landscape.
Film
53m
A bagpipe band stand in a field ready to perform. The text reads: "12,000 Miles from NZ to the Green."

12,000 Miles

Follow the Kiwis taking on the world at the World Pipe Band Champs in Scotland.
3 episodes
36m
A person sitting on a stool, they're looking down. The image has been edited so that there's a strong orange toned light covering the image, obscuring the figures face. The text reads, "The Outliers".

The Outliers

Youth from minority communities who are standing out from their peers.
24 episodes
7m
Side profile of a persons face, silhouetted against a setting sun out of frame. Text reads, "Imposter".

Imposter

Māori musicians growing in their confidence, music, culture, and identity.
5 episodes
9m

More to watch

If you are interested in Sounds like Aotearoa you might also want to check out some of our other series and films.
Three figures from different original images have been edited so that they're all standing next to each other and are of varying sizes. All three people are in the midst of performing. The background in a flat bright red colour. Text in the style of graffiti reads, "The Collective". A spray painted illustration of a crown appears above the 'e' in 'Collective'.
A background image made up of red orange and blue shapes. Text reads, "Shine One Katherine Mansfield" in the 'O' is a black and white photograph of Katherine Mansfield's face.
A man operating a cannon, theres smoke coming out of it and a man next to it holding his hands over his ears. Text reads, "NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara".
A podcast cover for "The Aotearoa History Show" features the title written in colorful, chalk-like letters on a blackboard background. The words "THE" and "AOTEAROA" are in light blue, "HISTORY" is in pink, and "SHOW" is in green with green chalk lines radiating outwards.
A group of people performing a haka outside amongst the trees. The person at the front is in focus and doing a pukana. Text reads, "NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka".
A yellow baroque style wallpaper. A white line drawing of a house is in the bottom right corner. White handwritten text reads, "Kāinga".
A coastal scene of a land mass with cliffs leading down to a beach and the ocean. Text reads, "My Cyclone Gabrielle, Four Filmmakers Four Views".
An adult person is holding a young child in their arms and hugging them. Text reads, "Blind Bitter Happiness".
Two people holding microphones and singing into them, another person stands behind playing a keyboard piano. The scene is lit with a purple hued light. Text reads, "The Barber Shop Sessions".
Black text on a beige background, text reads "Fight for the Wild". Behind the text are three illustrations, one is of New Zealand the other is a disembodied head of a Tūī and the third is a fantail.
An archival picture of a group of Pacific Islanders posing for a group picture. The text reads "Untold Pacific History"
A man is wearing a suit and tie and smiling at the camera with his head slightly tilted to the left. He has a thick moustache, behind him the room is dark but seems to be an office. Text reads, "The Citizen's Handbook" in light pink.
A sand dune with the ocean behind it in a cove, everything shadowy and violet in the twilight. The text reads "Whitiki! Whītī! Whītī! E!"
The back of a woman walking down a path, she's wearing white pants and a silver shiny top with silver tassels coming off the back and arms. Her arms are outstretched. Text reads, "Inside Splore".
A large mountain capped with snow. Text reads, "Land of the Long White Cloud".
A bagpipe band stand in a field ready to perform. The text reads: "12,000 Miles from NZ to the Green."
A transparent figure of the back of a man, overlayed with another transparent image of the same figure but just his shoulders and back of his head. Text reads, "Duality". it's written in transparent white block letters and yellow cursive overlapped.
A man wearing a kākahu (clothing garment) and holding a hīrau (waka paddle). Text reads, "Te Kawau ki Tai. The Story of a Waka".
The side profile of a man holding a guitar with a microphone on a stand in front of him. Text reads, "Legacy: Katchafire" and has a boarder around the perimeter of the frame.
A man in traditional Māori dress and a full face tā moko is standing in the forest. He is holding a wooden pole object. Text reads, "NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau".
A man with their back towards the camera, they're looking on onto an ocean. The image is in grey scale. Text reads, "The Art of War".
A large group of people protesting, they're all holding signs. Text reads, "Hīkoi, Speaking Our Truth".
Black and white faces of Helen Clark, Dame Jenny Shipley, Jim Bolger Geoffrey Palmer and Mike Moore, with the words 'The 9th Floor' underneath them. The background of the image is black.
Lynia Morseu-Tol sits on a seat for an interview. The text in front of her reads: "MATA REPORTS. NOT HER DESTINY."