Marlon Williams Shares Single 'Make Way For Love' Ft. The Pou Tiriao Singers

Lyttelton songwriter Marlon Williams has shared a heartwarming rendition of the title track to his latest album Make Way For Love, performed in collaboration with Christchurch-based Māori and Pacifica youth choir the Pou Tiriao Singers. Recorded for Amazon, the new version makes explicit the song's original roots in Māori waiata. Check out live footage of the gorgeous reimagining of 'Make Way For Love', listen to the studio version, and read Williams' words on the origins of the recording below...

"From the genesis of this song's journey, it gently but surely revealed its form to be a Māori waiata. The strum, the sentiment, the mauri. Lamentably, everything but the reo. So when the idea of doing a unique performance was brought to me by Amazon, I got straight on the blower to my pal Zion Tauamiti. I knew Zion was running a Māori and Pacifica youth community choir in East Christchurch, an area absolutely put through the wringer and hung out to dry in post-earthquake Canterbury. Zion was super keen to have the choir involved. We got together for one rehearsal and the strength of the unified sound was overwhelming. They treated me like one of the crew and when it came time to pool some money for petrol to get home and I reached for my wallet, Zion turned to me and told me in no uncertain terms to stay out of it; I was manuhiri and that was that.

As we all know, in this world, terrible things happen to the best of people. Recently, Zion suffered a cardiac arrest after a routine surgery and was left in a coma for six days. Being the lion of a man that he is, Zion woke up and is now, thankfully, in the process of recovery. This video and the beautiful people gathered in it, are a testament to Zion's limitless energy, compassion and pure love for his people. To Te Pou Tiriao, Zion and anyone watching, my deepest thanks."

‘Make Way For Love’ is out now via Dead Oceans.