Troy Kingi’s distinctive sonic quality, soulful voice and poetry will be heard the length of Federal Street at Te Korakora on Federal on Friday 12 July.
It’s the urban street party that sings and dances Matariki Festival to a close.
Te Korakora on Federal is brought to you by Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland Council, and SkyCity, with the support of Flava. It is also part of Elemental AKL.
Matariki Festival director Ataahua Papa is delighted to announce that Troy Kingi and band, the Upperclass, will headline Te Korakora on Federal this year.
Kingi will debut all 13 songs from his new album Holy Colony Burning Acres at the event on 12 July; the same day as the album drops.
Kingi’s album is an exploration of issues facing indigenous peoples all around the world. The lyrics are underscored with empathic Marley-inspired political consciousness.
The third album in Troy Kingi’s 10|10|10 Series (ten albums in ten genres in ten years), Holy Colony Burning Acres delves into dark corners of the world’s indigenous politics, namely colonisation and its sometimes (c)rippling effects.
Hear the first two singles released from Troy Kingi’s new album Holy Colony Burning Acres on Spotify.
Te Korakora on Federal is a free musical festival finale held under the Matariki stars with spectacular music talent and entertainment filling the closed-off street.
Come to Federal Street from 5pm until 10pm on Friday 12 July to hear a new chapter in the New Zealand music story unfold. Everyone is welcome to come along and experience the vibrant sights and sounds of te ao Māori and a unique evening of culture in the city.
Troy Kingi & the Upperclass will follow performances from the legendary Moana and the Tribe, reo Māori trio Te Kākano and students from Te Wharekura o Hoani Waititi who will bring kapa haka skills to the party along with the performance of an original waiata commissioned especially for Matariki Festival.
"Not only will Troy’s performance be an impressive musical performance with a 10 piece band, it will have huge audio and video production with visual content tailored specifically to each track displayed on a huge LED screen spanning the whole height and width of the stage," says festival director Ataahua Papa.
"Multiple live camera feeds mixed with visual content will enable the musicians to become part of the visual experience of the show. There will also be extensive stage lighting choreographed perfectly with visuals.
"With around 48 audio channels, 40+ square metres of video wall and 10+ musicians, there has been nothing spared to ensure Troy’s performance will be an experience Federal Street has not yet seen before!"
The line-up also features RnR Music, a group of ultra-talented musicians from south Auckland who cover RnB, soul and funk and Te Tira, a reo Māori acoustic duo from Waikato-Tainui in a nod to the iwi manaaki (host iwi) of the festival.
Councillor Alf Filipaina, Deputy Chair of the Environment and Community Committee at Auckland Council, says: “The musicians featured at Te Korakora on Federal contribute to Auckland’s status as a UNESCO City of Music, adding a richness and unique sound to the city.”
“Auckland values its music sector – the music-makers, the heroes, as well as the specialists who are working across a wide range of genre and roles.
"As part of Auckland Music Strategy - Te Rautaki Puoro o Tāmaki Makaurau - our intention is to strengthen the music ecosystem here and champion Māori music on the world stage,” he says.
