New Zealand Youth Choir wow with waiata at the Queen's Commonwealth Day celebrations

Publish Date
Monday, 8 March 2021, 3:54PM

Members of the New Zealand Youth Choir stole the show at the Queen's Commonwealth Day celebrations with their moving waiata.

NZYC alumni Ben Wilson and Isabella Moore opened the performance with a spinetingling karanga in London's Westminster Abbey, before the choir sang 'Kua Rongo' from te whānau Wehi.

The choir's performance was filmed in the first week of February at Mangawhai Heads in Northland.

Before the waiata, New Zealand was hailed as a Covid-19 success story by host Anita Rani.

"Different parts of the Commonwealth has had different experiences of Covid-19," Rani announced.

"In New Zealand with low levels of transmission life has continued as normal in many parts of the nation. This has allowed the New Zealand Youth Choir to keep singing and keep sharing their music.

"They recorded a special Māori song of greeting for us, a call of friendship, despite the distance."

Note: Fast forward to the 29 minute mark to watch the waiata.

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