Jennifer Zea and Bobby Brazuka are Latinaotearoa.
Latinaotearoa are touring their new album Influencis et Collabis. Brazilian beat-maker Bobby Brazuka tells us more about the Latin soul experience:
1. Describe your sound in one sentence.
A melting pot of South American and South Pacific Musical flavours.
2. What is it about New Zealand's musical heritage that works in so well with the Latin soul sound?
I believe our music has the same influence - the ocean. NZ is reggae, Brazil is Bossa Nova, NZ is hip hop, Venezuela is Cumbia.
3. In what ways does your third album take your musical journey forward from previous?
This time we really brought in our influences together and collaborated with people in order to make an album with more of an urban sound.
4. What is your favourite song to perform live and why?
A tune called La Candela, which pure Latin fire. But looking forward to play A Tu Manera from the new album. A beautiful Latin reggae song!
5. What does success as a musician mean to you?
People enjoying, singing along to our music and dancing. Always people first. We love to make people happy, give them good times through music.
6. Who would be your next dream collaboration partner?
P.Digsss maybe? Would be awesome to do an old school Latin DnB song like DJ Marky-styles with him and Jennifer singing.
7. What message would you give any young person wanting to be a successful musician?
Just work hard. Follow your dreams.
8. Who or what excites you most about the New Zealand music scene?
The passion, the creativity. I'm new musicians' smallest fan, they are my biggest idols.
9. You can only fit one album by another artist on your device — what is it?
Jorge Ben. Tábua da Esmeralda
10. You're curating a music festival. Who's on the bill, alive or dead?
Kraftwerk, Radiohead, Daftpunk, Jorge Ben, Tim Maia, Orishas, Bob Marley, Fat Freddy's, Latinaotearoa (lol).
• Latinaotearoa play Laundry in Wellington August 3, Hawke's Bay's Common Room August 4 and Auckland's Whammy Bar next Friday before gigs in Sydney and Melbourne. NZ tickets from undertheradar.co.nz.
'We didn’t get it right and we need to fix it.'