Today, Brandn Shiraz unveils his latest single, ‘Youngin from Kuki II’, a powerful continuation of the original track featured on his 2023 self-titled project.
In this compelling sequel, Shiraz delivers his trademark energy and distinctive flow, weaving vivid lyricism that reflects his family’s migration from Rarotonga to Aotearoa. The track explores the duality of his upbringing — navigating life between the urban city and the cultural roots of island life — offering a raw and honest glimpse into the complexities of identity and heritage.
‘Youngin from Kuki II’ begins with a siren sound and an announcement from rapper Jungle Don, “Where the 682’s!” – a nod to the Cook Island area code and South Auckland subculture, who’s influence we hear infused into the instrumental. The Pātē drums (Polynesian percussion instrument) and trap beats lay down the steady rhythm and exist to showcase Shiraz’s rap expertise. Additional collaborations include big al. (whom Shiraz met through APRA AMCOS’s Moana Songhubs) who adds to the depth of the production with guitar, bass and saxophone layers tastefully woven in throughout.
Honouring diasporic Moana histories and conversations around place and identity are important themes in director Esther Mauga’s art practice. Mauga’s interpretation of the song is a dream-like sequence which pays homage to Shiraz’s upbringing and nostalgic family memories. From the traditional Cook Islands hair cutting ceremony ‘pakoti rouru’ to shots filmed at the exact home his family grew up in. By the end of the video, we see a personal VHS-filmed video of Shiraz’s family Christmas celebration, now with the realisation that we were revisiting all those memories in real time throughout the music video.
Brandn Shiraz says, “To me, this video honours a certain time for Pacific people in Auckland. There’s houses you might drive past every day without ever realising the rich stories, memories, and traditions that live inside them.“