Kiwi singer Louis Baker is opening up about the making of his new song Te Utu o Te Aroha.
It's the songwriter’s first waiata in te reo, as he begins the journey of exploring his own heritage.
The soulful sound of Louis Baker is back, but this time, it's different.
Te utu o Te Aroha is a heartfelt ballad showcasing Baker's unparalleled voice, wrapped around a deep message.
The song was written before lockdown, in a 1960s bach on Waimarama beach as part of APRA music camp Reo Songhubs with some help from co-writer and Reo expert Hana Mereraiha.
He knew they had found something special.
"There was this crazy energy in the room that day," Baker told Newshub. It was just this beautiful organic process of making this tune that literally just fell out of us.
"Through me having that experience I've realised that the song, it's not really about me as the artist, it feels like it's a part of a much wider tapestry of thinking and of doing."
Te Utu o te Aroha translates as The Price of Love, a song about loving without limits.
And like previous Baker tracks, it's about emotion.
"I like the idea of writing a song about the price of love because love it takes work, it takes compromise."
He says Te Utu o Te Aroha is another step in expanding his own journey to learn te reo Māori and hopes others can take away from it.
"It's a beautiful, poetic, majestic language. I totally hope that people take something away from this to encourage them to celebrate our indigenous culture and celebrate our indigenous language," Baker says.
His new release comes as he was due to join Stan Walker's ‘All In Tour’ this month but the shows have been postponed due to COVID-19.
It's not the first time the virus has got in the way of something spectacular for Baker.
He was booked to tour with Lionel Richie around Germany last year - but was forced to stay home when borders closed.
It hasn't been all bad, he played at the Town Hall with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra in February
Baker hopes to be back travelling soon and to take Te Utu o Te Aroha to the world.
A chance to share more of his music, and the language he has come to embrace.
