Contributor
Melanie Huata-Lucas
Composer, Māori Composer
Biography
Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngai Tūhoe and Kai Tahu. Also Spanish, Irish and German descent.
MISTEE K, is a New Zealand underground R&B, Hip hop artist who is emerging onto the music scene fast, yet has been doing it for over a decade. In 2010 Mistee K debut her original composition ‘Pick me up’ at the Waiata Maori Music Awards performing alongside other established New Zealand musicians- she has performed in many places that some would only dream to have endured as an independent artist.Performing in New York, Los Angeles and Hawaii, the streets of Paris, France and Anzac Cove in Gallipoli, Turkey just to name a few.
Mistee K has used her music to get her through difficult times and healing. Her motivation is to express to others who have struggled to be heard or fit in that there is always a light at the end of every dark tunnel you just have to be brave enough to take that step and believe you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
Joining the Royal New Zealand Navy in 2006 based in Devonport, Auckland she was able to continue with her passion as a singer supported by her navy whanau (family), and was soon labelled “the sailor by day-singer by night” in the Hawkes Bay Today news paper. Defeating all odds Mistee K set out in her career in the navy, sailed the sea lanes and took her experience as an opportunity to write, sing and compile songs for her then forth coming albums ‘ALL IN GOOD TIME” 2012 and “THE COLOURS THROUGH BLACK & WHITE” 2014.
Weekends were filled with music, gigging and networking and on her days off as a watch keeper she would be recording or with family back home in the “06”. After 6 years in uniform she decided to change scenery diving into her culture and was employed to work a hop and a skip out of the naval base gates at the Navy Marae (Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa) as the Marae Events and Protocol Manager. In her position here is where she grew as an artist and a person. She has broken barriers in the music scene and the defence force in carrying out a successful career both in her passion of music and culture within the organisation in which she represents as the first woman to mau moko Kauae (Maori chin tattoo) in the space of the Royal New Zealand Navy. And now embarking on a new haerenga as the Māori Culture and Identity Programme Lead for Te Kaunihere o Tāmaki Makaurau.
Her album 'THE NEXT CHAPTER' released in August 2020 depicts the growth as a mother, mana wahine and an inspiration to all independent singer/songwriters and has been nominated in not 1 but 2 catergories for the 14th Waiata Maori Music Awards 2021 'Best R&B Album by a Maori artist' and 'Best Female Solo Artist'.
Mistee K has now completed 5 albums independently without the support of a record label or financial support and has instead utilised the power of social media and word of mouth to amplify her audience. Taking a break from her loyal listeners and supporters for 6 years to focus on her whanau has influenced her vision to return back to the music industry and she is ready to hit the music scene in full force more now than ever before. Her latest album MELZ VS MISTEE K was released on all digital platforms September 2021.
Find Mistee on: