Biography

Sharing her name with a deity of the moon known throughout Polynesia, HINA is a self-taught producer and classically trained multi-instrumentalist from New Zealand. Raised from a young age on an eclectic musical diet, she started writing songs in her mid-teens and has matured into her early twenties with a sound described by Happy Mag as being "simultaneously intimate and far-reaching… weaving in and out of R&B tempos and subtle tendrils of jazz…with a dusting of pop sensibilities.” 

HINA’s debut EP ‘Muse’ is an intimate ode to romance and the after hours - written, recorded and produced in solitary from her bedroom. The track ‘Libertine’ charted at number 6 on the Student Radio Network, as well as charting for six weeks on Dunedin’s Radio One 91FM. ‘Libertine’ also featured on Eastside Radio (Sydney) - The New Thing after a couple of stellar features in Happy Mag. ‘Scratch’ made its way onto Jesse Mulligan’s afternoon playlist on RNZ, and got some spins on Juice TV and The Station in Tauranga. 

HINA also released two music videos for ‘Scratch’ and ‘Reverie’ from the EP, created in their entirety with her partner, the second of which featured on Māori TV and secured her a spot on the morning show Te Ao Tapatahi. HINA was also invited to perform on Marty Duda’s The 13th Floor, and received warm reviews from Marty following her EP Release Showcase at Anthology K’ Road.

HINA has also enjoyed performances at Chris Mac’s (Six60) 605 Morningside Drinkery and Cassette Nine as part of Madcap’s final Club Night of 2020. Tracks from the Muse project will be brought to life again at HINA’s upcoming performance at the Auckland Arts Festival 2021 on March 19 as part of the Hine! Showcase alongside Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah), Disciple Pati, Jhasmyne, and Emily Muli at the Civic Theatre, Auckland.

HINA’s latest release is ‘Back Home’ - another concerted solo effort, exploring the indie-soul sound that fans of the Muse EP know and love. HINA’s EP and latest release are a cohesive introduction to what we can expect from HINA and a taste of what is to come.