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Ladi6
MNZM
Ladi6 at the Summerset Music Festival 2007
Ladi6 at the Summerset Music Festival 2007
Background information
Birth nameKaroline Tamati
Born (1982-11-07) 7 November 1982 (age 42)
Christchurch, New Zealand
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • rapper
Years active1999[1]–present
LabelsQuestion Music,[2] BBE,[3] Eskapaden[4][5]

Karoline Fuarosa Park-Tamati MNZM (born 7 November 1982), known professionally as Ladi6, is a New Zealand recording artist of Samoan descent.[6] She spent six months living in Berlin and touring Europe in both 2010[6] and 2011.[7] Her debut album Time Is Not Much debuted at number 4 on the New Zealand Top 40 Album chart.[8] and her second album The Liberation Of... debuted at number 6[9] and was certified gold.[10][11] Her single "Like Water" was certified platinum in June 2011.[12] She has won many awards, including Best Female Solo Artist and Best Urban Hip Hop Album at the 2011 New Zealand Music Awards and Best Urban/Hip Hop Album at the 2009 New Zealand Music Awards. The current line-up of the wider Ladi6 group is Ladi6, her partner Parks (a.k.a. Brent Park) and Julien Dyne.[7]

Ladi6 was a spokesperson for the Not Our Future anti-smoking campaign.[13] In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music.[14] In 2023, she received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award.[15]

Early life, Sheelahroc and Verse Two

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Ladi6 was born in Christchurch on 7 November 1982, and raised in that city.[3][16][10] She grew up in the eastern suburb of Aranui.[17] Her family moved to Africa for a year and a half when she was a teenager, where she says she first started to write songs and play guitar.[18] After she returned to Christchurch in the mid-1990s, she started her entertainment career as a break dancer. When she was 16 she formed her all-elements hip-hop crew which evolved into New Zealands first all-female hip-hop music group, Sheelahroc, with Sarah Tamaira (a.k.a. Voodoo Child) and Tyra Hammond in May 1998.[1][19] Sheelahroc released the hit single "If I Gave U Th' Mic" and won Most Promising New Act at the 2001 bNet Music Awards.

After Sheelahroc broke up, Ladi6 went on to form Verse Two with Parks (Brent Park-Tamati), Julien Dyne, Markus Vanilau, Elia Gaitau, Vanessa Mcgowan, DJ 4130, Matipi Turua, Redford Grenell, Vanessa Mcgowan, Nick Robertson (Shapeshifter) as well as a variety of guest musicians including MC Scribe.[19] They released the singles "Danger" and "Gold" (featuring her cousin Scribe and produced by Mu of Fat Freddy's Drop).[20][21] "Gold" went to Number 1 on the NZ Alternative charts in its first week of play on the bNet stations and was the 5th most played song on the bNet stations in 2003.[21] "Danger" was re-issued as a bonus track on Time Is Not Much.[2] and remixed by Manuel Bundy on Solephonics records. Ladi6 was nominated for Best Vocalist/MC at the 2003 bNet Awards[22] and Verse 2 won a bNet Award for Best New Act in 2003.[19] Verse Two supported international acts such as The Roots, De La Soul and 50 Cent.[23] Gil Scott Heron, Erykah Badu, Digable planets.

The current line-up of the wider Ladi6 group is Ladi6, her award-winning producer partner Parks (a.k.a. Brent Park), and Producer keyboardist Brandon Haru. Also, an important and vital member of the group is Steve Roberts, their sound technician.[7] Ladi6 has been called "New Zealand's answer to Erykah Badu".[7]

Ladi6 evolved with dance crew "The Sixxes", a group consisting of Pasifika and Māori women. They create an inclusive and representative female presence on every stage they perform on.

Ladi6 has advocated for many health campaigns and has helped to profile certain issues by speaking out on social media.

She appeared on Songs From the Inside in 2015 alongside Troy Kingi, MC Scribe and Anika Moa. Mentoring incarcerated women in Christchurch women's prison in songwriting.[24]

Also in December 2014 saw the release of her cousin Oscar Kightley's Redbull documentary Ladi6 – Return to Africa, which follows Ladi6 on a journey of musical rediscovery to where it all began for her, revisiting the times and places where she was inspired to become a musician in Tanzania, East Africa. The documentary captures an epic adventure for Ladi6, her partner and producer Parks, and their son, Philli Park-Tamati.[25]

Time Is Not Much

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Ladi6's debut album Time Is Not Much was released independently in New Zealand in November 2008 and debuted at number 4 on the New Zealand Top 40 Album chart, staying in the top 40 albums for 10 weeks.[8] The album was mostly produced by Parks and was released throughout Europe by London label BBE Records in July 2010.[3][6]

The Liberation Of...

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Ladi6's second album, The Liberation Of..., was released in New Zealand independently in November 2010, where it debuted at number six on the NZ Top 40 Album Chart. It spent 34 weeks in the top 40[9] and was certified gold in July 2011.[10][11] The single "Like Water" from this album peaked at number 9 on the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, spent 22 weeks on the charts[22] and was certified platinum in June 2011.[12]

It was co-produced by Parks and Sebastian Weiss (a.k.a. DJ Sepalot) of the German hip hop group Blumentopf and features Myele Manzanza of Electric Wire Hustle, Toby Laing of Fat Freddy's Drop and German singer Esther Adams.[7][6][26]

The Liberation of... was released in Europe on German label Eskapaden Records in May 2011.[4][5] In London, Metro Magazine said Ladi6 was "One to Watch". "She knows how to make an impression – including a recent wow-inducing support slot for Gil Scott-Heron at London's Southbank Centre".[7]

Automatic

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Ladi6's third album, Automatic, was released in 2013. Ladi6 and Parks travelled to the U.S. to work with music producer Waajeed. The album was done at Studio A recording studios in Detroit, with Grammy award-winning engineer Todd Fairall. They also did some recording in New Zealand at Revolver Studios in Waiuku.

Automatic was produced by Parks and Waajeed and features Ladi6 band members Julien Dyne and B.Haru. The album has guest vocal appearances by Scribe, Parks and Tyra Hammond, and Detroit MC Invincible.[27]

Automatic debuted at number 3 on the New Zealand national charts and featured on many end-of-year (2013) 'best of' lists.[28]

Royal Blue 3000

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In 2017, she released her fourth album, Royal Blue 3000, which saw her and her producer partner win three New Zealand Music Awards: Best Female Artist, Best Producer, and Best Album.[29]

Collaborations

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Ladi6 has collaborated with many New Zealand musicians and some International acts and bands, including Fat Freddy's Drop, Scribe, Shapeshifter, Jon Toogood, The Adults, Solaa, 4 Corners, The Opensouls, 50 Hz, Sepalot, Eva Be, Julien Dyne, and Christoph El Truento.

Personal life

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As well as producing most of Ladi6's music, her partner Parks also provides backing vocals for many of her tracks. In 2004, Ladi6 and Parks had their first son. He is their only child.[26]

She is the cousin of other prominent Samoan New Zealand musicians Scribe and Tyra Hammond of The Opensouls,[19] and director-actor Oscar Kightley.

Discography

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Albums

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Year Title Details Peak chart
positions
NZ[30]
2008 Time Is Not Much
  • Released: 27 October 2008
  • Formats: CD, digital download
  • Label: Question Music
 4
2010 The Liberation Of...
  • Released: 1 October 2010
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download
  • Label: Question Music
 6
2013 Automatic
  • Released: 16 August 2013
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download
  • Label: Question Music
 3
2017 Royal Blue
  • Released: 2 June 2017
  • Formats: LP, CD, cassette tape, digital download
  • Label: Question Music
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.

Charted singles

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Year Single Peak chart
positions 		Album
NZ[30]
2011 "Like Water" 9 The Liberation Of...

Awards

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Year Nominated work Award Result
2003 Verse Two bNet Music Awards — Most Promising New Act Won
2009 Time Is Not Much Pacific Music Awards — Best Pacific Female Artist Won
Time Is Not Much Pacific Music Awards — Best Pacific Urban Artist Nominated
"Walk Right Up" Pacific Music Awards — APRA Best Pacific Song Nominated
Time Is Not Much Pacific Music Awards/New Zealand Music Awards — Best Pacific Music Album Nominated
Ladi6 New Zealand Music Awards — Best Female Solo Artist Nominated
Time Is Not Much New Zealand Music Awards — Best Urban / Hip Hop Album Won
2011 The Liberation Of... Pacific Music Awards/New Zealand Music Awards — Best Pacific Music Album Nominated
The Liberation Of... Pacific Music Awards — Best Pacific Female Artist Won
The Liberation Of... Pacific Music Awards — Best Pacific Urban Artist Won
The Liberation Of... New Zealand Music Awards — Album of the Year Nominated
Like Water New Zealand Music Awards — Single of the Year Nominated
The Liberation Of... New Zealand Music Awards — Best Female Solo Artist Won
The Liberation Of... New Zealand Music Awards — Best Urban / Hip Hop Album Won
The Liberation Of... Taite Music Prize Won
2014 Automatic Pacific Music Awards — Trillian Trust Best Pacific Female Artist Nominated
Automatic Pacific Music Awards — Niu FM Best Pacific Urban Artist Nominated
Ikarus Pacific Music Awards — NZ On Air Best Pacific Music Video Nominated
Ikarus Pacific Music Awards — APRA Best Pacific Song Nominated
Automatic Pacific Music Awards — Auckland Council Best Pacific Music Album Nominated
2018 Royal Blue 3000 New Zealand Music Awards — Best Female Artist Won
Royal Blue 3000 New Zealand Music Awards — Best Album Won
Royal Blue 3000 New Zealand Music Awards — Best Producer Won

References

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  1. ^ a b "Sheelahroc". New Zealand: Amplifier.
  2. ^ a b "Ladi 6 – Time Is Not Much (CD, Album)". Discogs. 2 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Ladi6 – Time Is Not Much". London, UK: BBE. 19 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011.
  4. ^ a b "The Liberation of...: Ladi6". amazon.de (in German). Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Ladi 6 – The Liberation Of... (Vinyl, LP, Album)". Discogs. 27 May 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d Jenkin, Lydia (October–November 2010). "Ladi6 – Liberation and the Berlin Effect". NZ Musician. 15 (9). Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Anderson, Vicki (28 October 2011). "Triumphant homecoming for Ladi6". The Press. Christchurch, New Zealand.
  8. ^ a b "Time Is Not Much – Ladi6 – Top 40 Albums". Muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  9. ^ a b "The Liberation Of – Ladi6 – Top 40 Albums". Muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  10. ^ a b c Fenton, Jamie (28 October 2010). "Ladi6 coming back for summer". Taranaki Daily News. New Plymouth, New Zealand.
  11. ^ a b "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 24 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  12. ^ a b "Latest Gold / Platinum singles". Radioscope. 24 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  13. ^ "Ladi 6". Smoking: Not Our Future. Health Sponsorship Council. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  14. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2021". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  15. ^ Chumko, André (1 September 2023). "Nine outstanding NZ artists honoured at Arts Foundation Laureate Awards". Stuff. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. ^ Thomson, Rebecca (3 November 2010). "Ladi6 loves her birthday". The Wellingtonian. Wellington, New Zealand.
  17. ^ "Ladi6 returns home to Aranui". The Press. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Q&A: Ladi6". CMU. UnLimited. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  19. ^ a b c d Jenkin, Lydia (October–November 2008). "Ladi6 – Our Leading Ladi". NZ Musician. 14 (6). Archived from the original on 23 May 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  20. ^ "Verse Two". Amplifier.co.nz. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  21. ^ a b "Gold". Amplifier.co.nz. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  22. ^ a b "Like Water – Ladi6 – Top 40 Singles". Muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  23. ^ "Ladi 6". NZ Artist Directory. NZ Music Commission. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  24. ^ https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/songs-from-the-inside-series-three-episode-one-2015
  25. ^ "Ladi6: Return to Africa – the Documentary". Red Bull.
  26. ^ a b "Talking to Ladi6". The Press. Christchurch, New Zealand. 15 November 2010.
  27. ^ "About". Ladi6.com. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  28. ^ "Ladi6 Announces Nationwide Tour With Team Dynamite – Music News at Undertheradar". Undertheradar.co.nz. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
  29. ^ https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/programmes/dateline-extras/audio/2018646347/ladi6-noah-slee-and-kings-among-winners-at-the-2018-pacific-music-awards
  30. ^ a b "Ladi6". charts.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
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