DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE — The Mamas & the Papas (1967)
Whenever this comes on, Mum tells me it's one of the songs she sang to me when I was a baby and starts singing it right on the spot.
SILLY LOVE SONGS — Ardijah (1996)
It was only
a few months ago that I realised this is actually a cover of a Paul McCartney song. Ardijah was kind of my first introduction to music at family get-togethers with my cousins and aunties and uncles. That Pacific sound really resonated. It reminds me of those happy times, being around each other and singing along.
DON'T MAKE WAVES — The Nolans (1980)
When I was growing up, me and my little sister would spend every weekend at Nana and Papa's house. They pretty much helped raise me. Papa would take us to museums and to watch a few rugby games. Nana would cook up a very good feed. Don't Make Waves conjures up memories of her sitting in the chair by her radio and this song filling the house.
THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS — Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1965)
Nana and Papa, my paternal grandparents, passed away within a month of each other. Then my maternal grandparents passed within the same year. So that was a really difficult time. I'd heard this song before but then it just happened to play and when I stopped to listen to the lyrics, they really struck home for me — having this facade of being happy and not fazed by anything but feeling the pain inside.
WORK — Rihanna feat. Drake (2016)
Whenever I hear it, I just want to dance. My friends know that if they want me to come out or laugh with them but I'm feeling too tired, they'll play or request this song and I'll instantly change my mind.
COMO LA FLOR — Selena (1993)
I was introduced to Selena's music through her biopic [in the 1997 film Selena, Jennifer Lopez plays the young Tejano star, who was murdered at the age of 23]. A few years ago, I was with Black Grace in New York at a Cuban restaurant when they played Como la Flor and the whole company started singing along. I think the waiters were quite taken aback that these people all the way from New Zealand knew Selena's music.
— As told to Joanna Wane
* Fresh from touring the US, Black Grace presents O Le Olaga - Life and Fatu in a double bill choreographed by founding artistic director Neil Ieremia, with shows in Auckland (September 4), Wellington (September 6) and Christchurch (September 10). For details, visit blackgrace.co.nz
