Raglan band Masaya excited to open for LAB
Blood harmony is how siblings Kaea and Reiki Ruawai describe performing together as the backbone of Raglan band Masaya.
The band is one of the opening acts for LAB at Hamilton’s Globox Arena on Saturday night, the other being JessB.
Established in 2019 for Reiki’s university project, the band has pushed on and is about to start a national tour after producing its first album.
The brother and sister are no strangers to performing, after more than 10 years of it with their parents’ band, Cornerstone Roots.
‘‘They know it’s our time now, and I personally think our music is quite different from theirs. They’ve fully stepped right back and said spread your wings, which is awesome,’’ Kaea said.
The years on stage and being family mean they have a musical connection.
‘‘There is also a level of respect. My weaknesses are his strengths, and his weaknesses are my strengths, so we work as a team.
Sometimes being siblings there is headbutting going on, but it’s always going to get resolved,’’ Kaea said.
Reiki, 22, is the frontman, vocals and guitarist, Kaea, 24, is the drummer and backing vocals, and Nat Hathaway, 21, is on bass.
‘‘These last three years we have done our dash of summer gigs, festivals, some winter tours, and now we are fricken excited to jump on board with LAB at Claudelands,’’ Reiki said.
They don’t want to be pigeonholed when describing their sound, which Kaea calls funky, groovy, and a mix of bands like Kora, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
While the duo largely write the songs they have embraced collaborating with the rest of the band, especially since neither reads music.
‘‘It’s good to get their input because they’re all different musicians, our bass player is a full jazz student at the moment, our other guitar player is also from a jazz background,’’ Reiki said.
While they’ve now based themselves in Auckland, they still have a strong connection with their hometown.
‘‘The whole community in Raglan – it really takes a village to raise a child, in our case it definitely is that. There is the beach or go bomb off the bridge, we had a pretty relaxed childhood growing up in Raglan.
‘‘And I think you can hear it in our songs, there are definitely a couple of songs that reflect Raglan,’’ Kaea said.
Now full-time musicians, they’ve said it’s been a struggle for an upcoming band dealing with two Covid-19 lockdowns.
‘‘But that is why we’ve had the opportunity to do an album. Because we had a whole summer tour ready, and then it was snatched out of our hands because of Covid,’’ Kaea said.
And while there’ll be some initial nerves when they are on stage on Saturday, they tend to ease after the first song.
Frontman Reiki can get the jitters, ‘‘especially when I have to talk in between songs, and especially gigs like LAB – or a festival like Bay Dreams or R&V, but I try to still have fun’’.
For drummer Kaea it’s about keeping the timing spot on, and getting the set-up just right.
‘‘Also that I’ve got everyone’s back, especially Reiki’s because he’s the frontman. So when there is a gig on like LAB, that is when I get nervous. Is the sound going to be good, can I still connect with Nat the bass player and Reiki hear the drums,’’ Kaea said.