Diva in tune with Kiwi harmonies

Kiwi R&B duo Adeaze have an influential new fan - American pop diva Mariah Carey.

A sample from their New Zealand number one single A Life With You features in Your Girl on her new album, The Emancipation of Mimi. The chorus is based on a few bars of Adeaze's vocal harmonies, only their singing has been accelerated.

Adeaze's South Auckland record label, Dawn Raid, says it's the first time an artist of Carey's calibre has sampled New Zealand hip-hop or R&B.

"It's a great big deal for us," says Dawn Raid's Danny Leaosavaii, aka Brotha D. "Just seeing Adeaze's name on the album cover is amazing in itself. Mariah would have had to sit down and listen to the whole song."

The label agreed to license the track to Carey a year ago after meeting Scram Jones, one of her producers. Jones performed at their Christmas Party in 2003 and a deal was struck.

Leaosavaii won't be drawn into discussing the nature of the deal except to say that it will generate "a little bit of money for the boys".