09 November 2018 - 0 Comments

Following her recent funding success through NZ on Air, award-winning singer-songwriter Anna van Riel has collaborated with family members Tasmin van Riel and Jeromy van Riel on a new single from her forthcoming album Fishing For Stars.

Echo, recorded by Wanaka arist Danny Fairley (Arma Del Amor) has a contemporary pop flavour appealing to both children and adults, and tells the story of a young girl calling to her ancestors during Matariki. This begins a journey that leads her through a magical garden and up into a tree house where she makes a wish come true.

“I wrote the song, my brother Te Reo Maori teacher Jeromy added a beautiful karakia and my 10-year old neice Tasmin sang and also stars in the music video. It’s so special that we’ve created this together”, Anna shares.

“Up-and-coming videographer Ollie Larkin of Wanaka filmed Echo and I had Traci Meek and Kevin Reid from Invercargill work on animation. I wanted to keep this project as local as possible to support local art makers” States Anna of the video’s creation.

Although born full-blooded Dutch, New Zealand born Anna and her siblings call them Kiwi first and foremost.

“Jeromy is incredibly knowledgeable in Maori folklore and articulate in Te Reo. Having grown up in NZ, I know more Maori than Dutch. Tasmin is the only one out of the three of us with Maori ancestry ” laughs Anna.

Echo is the second single from the new collection of songs on Fishing for Stars due out November 23rd.

“It’s been such a beautiful adventure creating a new album for kids. I’m excited to share it”, says Anna.

Stream Echo on SPOTIFY
Purchase Echo on iTunes and Bandcamp
Watch Echo on YouTube

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