Photo by: Tom Grut
PLAY/LISTEN
A composition that strides hard with emotional lyrics and rousing R&B rhythms, KORA’s new song ‘Gone’ is a classic piece of broken-hearted soul that speaks of someone coming to terms with the end of a romance, and that person’s struggle to save a doomed relationship.
A blend of timeless keys, acoustic guitars, groovy drums, and mellow bass creates a song that could be a hit in any decade. The song has been a live favourite in KORA sets since the summer of 2021/2022 and is a hotly anticipated release.
“The inspiration for this song is simply life. The highs and lows of love and loss have been sung about since the beginning of time, but how we come out the other side is the journey that makes us stronger.” KORA
‘Gone’ was recorded by the band and mixed by Scott Banks (Snavs, Bruno Martini) at Studio DMI in Tauranga, Aotearoa New Zealand. The track follows up their recent single ‘All You Need’ which garnered playlist support across Spotify (NMF, Island Time, The Local List), and Youtube’s “Top Songs Of The Week.”
“Gone is a jam we worked on during lockdown, sending stems backwards and forward between us from Papamoa to Queenstown, the North Island to the South! The video kept being pushed back by lockdowns and travel restrictions, and then when those ended there was no snow…so it’s been a patient process realising our vision on this one. The mix was done by Scott Banks @ Studio DMI out in Las Vegas, and he has kept it smooth and buttery.” KORA
The accompanying video was directed by acclaimed cinematographer Heath Patterson and filmed in beautiful Queenstown, Aotearoa New Zealand. Daniel showcases in the video that there can be rhythm with the blues, and there is nothing wrong with dancing your sorrows away while you look to new horizons for the next mountain to climb. “The video is filmed in my backyard, a special place and a home to the band, where the song was written and recorded. A spiritual journey to find your groove and soul after a painful breakup.” Daniel McGruer, KORA
KORA are a 5 piece contemporary mostly family affair reggae act from New Zealand that formed in the 1990’s. Kora’s unique and eclectic blend of music has passed 50 million streams on Spotify and they have amassed 205K+ followers. They are household names in New Zealand with multiple platinum selling albums, and they’ve cemented themselves as one of the nation’s finest live acts. In Aotearoa, Kora has been seen at Big Day Out, Rhythm & Vines, WOMAD, Coromandel Gold, Homegrown, and Splore. Internationally, their touring highlights include London and Scotland with Crazy P & Norman J, a sell-out at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, WOMAD UK, Snowsplash (Japan), Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (USA), and Mosaic Festival (Singapore).
Closer to home, they have performed at Australia’s WOMADelaide, Pyramid Rock, Playground, Fresh Fest, and Quicksilver Pro music festivals.
Throughout the COVID era, Kora has continued writing and performing at Aotearoa’s biggest festivals. Summer 2021-2022 saw Kora play Rhythm & Alps, Soundsplash, and Sundown among the COVID-impacted live music circuit. In May 2022, Kora headlined Australia’s Gold Coast’s inaugural Good Love Festival.
PRAISE FOR KORA
“Equal parts exhilaration and exhortation, ‘Secret Lover’ is a tune that entices the listener to relax and revel in the thrill of attraction.”
SCOOP
“Light Years is a mix across the genres with the band capturing the well known energy of their live shows and pushing the studio envelope to create their Gold selling sophomore effort.”
TONE DEAF
“You can expect a high-energy show and tour. The boys know how to play and engage with an audience. The fans will feel like they’ve had a personal experience with the boys.”
MUSIC FEEDS
GONE is out on Friday 18 November