Hailing from New Zealand’s North Island, rising hip-hop star Rei has long been flying the flag for a fusion of hip-hop and contemporary R&B music coming out of Aotearoa.
With three studio albums to his name, Rei is at home when creating music that is unashamedly honest and individual in its crafting and delivery. As 2020 winds its way towards its (long-awaited) completion, Rei gears up for his new chapter, kick-started by the release of his new single, ‘Borderline’.
A bright slice of music that sees Rei lean into pop melodies while tight beats and easy-to-vibe production drive the arrangement throughout, ‘Borderline’ is catchy and representative of Rei’s fun and confident nature.
Recorded in Auckland at Kog Studio with multi-award winning engineer Chris Chetland (Dua Lipa, Snoop Dogg) on mixing/mastering, ‘Borderline’ puts the early stages of a relationship under the microscope, as Rei ponders its possibilities, and the expectations couples sometimes put on one another.
2019 and 2020 have proven to be successful and busy for Rei, with the release of his third album, The Bridge and this year’s Hoea. The Bridge, which earned the 26 year old nominations for ‘Best Māori Artist’ and ‘Best R&B Artist’ at the 2019 New Zealand Music Awards, further established Rei as a formidable force within his own music community.
Boasting over 5 million streams on Spotify alone, Rei’s reach has been exponential. With the release of ‘Borderline’, Rei is bringing new music to his Australian fans and newcomers alike. And with his presence growing with each release, Rei continues to champion music that is not simply self-fulfilling, but provides an opportunity to celebrate his heritage. The bilingual rapper, producer and singer performs in both English and te reo Māori, a testament to his commitment to his craft and his culture.