Coming in hot _{by Madelaine Empson}

Sun-soaked reggae vibes incoming! It might be cold and dark outside, but Corrella will be coming in hot to five centres across the motu on their Skeletons Winter Tour. The roots-reggae band will hit San Fran on the 15^th of August in support of their 2024 sophomore album Skeletons, which spent 15 weeks on the Top 20 Aotearoa Albums Chart and saw the band scoop a handful of nominations – winning Te Manu Taki Taketake o te Tau | Best Roots Artist – at this year’s Aotearoa Music Awards. Skeletons follows their 2023 debut album Road From 26 and its breakthrough single Blue Eyed Māori, one of the most aired and streamed songs in New Zealand that year.

I caught up with lead singer Pipiwharauroa Campbell (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Hē, Ngāti Pūkenga) about Corrella’s success and their biggest tour yet.

You’ve had a massive summer – what were some of the highlights and pinch-me moments?

Getting to play shows not only across Aotearoa but also in Australia was a real honour. We started this band just jamming covers, so to hear people in another country singing songs we’ve written back to us is a buzz that will never wear off! Playing shows with L.A.B and Stan Walker was incredible too – they’re our whānau, and jumping up on stage and singing with them too was definitely a pinch-me moment.

What would you say Skeletons is about and how do those themes come through sonically?

Skeletons is really a snapshot of our lives over the past few years. For myself and [rhythm guitarist] Te Naawe [Tupe of Ngāi Tūhoe], there’s a lot of personal experiences that are described in the album, both in our personal lives and within the band. No matter what we’re writing or singing about though, we always try and make sure it sounds like Corrella.

How do you think your sophomore album compares, complements, and contrasts with your debut?

I think it’s definitely a progression for us. We’re feeling more and more comfortable and confident in ourselves as musicians and as songwriters, and we’re more confident to take some risks that we wouldn’t have before. It definitely still sounds like Corrella, but there’s some sounds in there that people might not expect, and hopefully it keeps it interesting for our fans.

Have a blast on tour! What can San Fran gig-goers expect from the night?

A party! We love playing live. We’re a big band – a nine-piece band including live horns – so it’s a big sound. We love having fun on stage, and hopefully the fans that are there will feel the energy too. It’s also a pretty small stage, so it’s going to be a tight squeeze, an intimate show!