35 (song)

{{Infobox song

| name = 35

| cover = Ka Hao - 35.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| type = single

| artist = Ka Hao featuring Rob Ruha

| album = Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice

| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2021|09|03}}{{cite news |title=Tairāwhiti Youth Shine in New Ka Hao SIngle '35' |url=https://tehiku.nz/te-hiku-radio/kuaka-marangaranga/20845/tairawhiti-youth-shine-in-new-ka-hao-single-35 |date=2 September 2021 |access-date=19 April 2022 |website=Te Hiku Media}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Pop

| length = 3:20

| label = InDigiNation Music

| writer = {{hlist|Te Amorutu Broughton|Kaea Hills|Dan Martin|Whenua Patuwai|Rob Ruha|Ainsley Tai}}

| producer = Dan Martin

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| next_title = Taka Rawa

| next_year = 2021

| misc = {{External music video|1={{YouTube|jEOydUQXfl8|"35"}}}}

}}

"35" is a song by New Zealand youth choir Ka Hao featuring musician Rob Ruha. "35" was the group's first single, and preceded the release of their debut album Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice. The song, performed primarily in Māori, was a sleeper hit, first entering the New Zealand Singles Chart in Te Wiki o te Reo Māori in September 2021 and peaking at number 12 in November. "35", alongside New Zealand band Six60's song "Pepeha" (also released in 2021), are the best performing songs sung in Māori since Stan Walker's "Aotearoa" (2014).

Background and composition

The Ka Hao youth choir formed in 2019, performing concerts for the Tairāwhiti Arts Festival, and in 2020 took part in Mōhau, an album of gospel songs sung in Māori which won the Mana Reo Award at the 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.maifm.co.nz/home/music/backyard-beats/2021/ka-hao-ft--rob-ruha---35.html |title=Ka Hao ft. Rob Ruha - 35|website=Mai FM|date=13 October 2021 |accessdate=19 April 2022}} "35" was the group's debut single.{{cite news |url=https://www.temanaakonga.org.nz/post/a-k%C5%8Drero-with-jhayme%C4%81n-of-ka-hao-tira-waiata-ohooho-1 |first1=Taylor-Rose |last1=Terekia |title=A kōrero with Jhaymeān of Ka Hao: Tira Waiata! OHOOHO #1 |access-date=3 October 2021 |work=Te Mana Ākonga |date=9 September 2021}}

The title "35" is a reference to State Highway 35, the road that connects the coastal towns of Te Tairāwhiti, connecting the eastern Bay of Plenty to Gisborne.{{cite web|url=https://www.morefm.co.nz/home/music/wired/-35--by-ka-hao---rob-ruha-is-taking-the-world-by-storm.html |title='35' by Ka Hao & Rob Ruha is taking the world by storm |website=More FM|date=16 November 2021 |accessdate=19 April 2022}} The song was inspired by Rob Ruha's single "Kalega". The group wanted to write an anthem similar to "Kalega", but to represent all of the communities along the east coast.{{cite web|url=https://nzmusician.co.nz/features/ka-hao/ |title=Ka Hao: A Less Travelled Road To Success |first=Ella |last=Karalus-Glannaz |website=NZ Musician |date=December 2021 |access-date=19 April 2022}}

The song's music video was produced by Abe Mora, and was released on 3 September, coinciding with the single's release.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEOydUQXfl8 |title=Ka Hao - 35 (feat. Rob Ruha) |website=YouTube|date=3 September 2021 |accessdate=19 April 2022}} The video features the members of the choir and Rob Ruha wearing sport hoodies that show the state highway's logo,{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300407427/why-waiata-reo-mori-have-never-been-more-popular |title=Why waiata reo Māori have never been more popular |first=Alex |last=Behan|website=Stuff|date=19 September 2021 |accessdate=19 April 2022}} while they watch videos of their own adventures on the east coast of New Zealand.

Chart performance and popularity

The song was released to coincide with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and was one of the 27 songs produced for the 2021 Waiata Anthems Week, a project to promote popular music sung in Māori.{{cite web|url=https://www.zmonline.com/the-latest/waiata-anthems-30-artists-join-forces-to-celebrate-a-bilingual-music-industry/ |title=Waiata Anthems: 30 artists join forces to celebrate a bilingual music industry |website=ZM|date=6 September 2021 |accessdate=19 April 2022}} The song first gained popularity during the week when it was used for a popular dance on TikTok.{{cite news |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/09/a-truly-wonderful-feeling-te-reo-m-ori-music-dominates-nz-s-official-charts.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001080204/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2021/09/a-truly-wonderful-feeling-te-reo-m-ori-music-dominates-nz-s-official-charts.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 October 2021 |first1=Monika |last1=Barton |title='A truly wonderful feeling': Te Reo Māori music dominates NZ's official charts |access-date=3 October 2021 |work=Newshub |date=23 September 2021}} The song became internationally popular in November 2021,{{cite news |url=https://www.teaomaori.news/ka-hao-and-rob-ruha-go-viral-on-tiktok |first1=Tumamao |last1=Harawira |title=Ka Hao and Rob Ruha go viral on TikToK |access-date=17 November 2021 |work=Te Ao Māori News |publisher=Māori Television |date=19 April 2022}} particularly among African American and indigenous communities.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300493224/rob-ruha-the-man-who-helped-tairwhiti-take-over-tiktok |title=Rob Ruha: The man who helped Tairāwhiti take over TikTok |first=Anton |last=Blank|website=Stuff|date=16 January 2022 |accessdate=19 April 2022}}

The song entered the New Zealand Singles Chart in September 2021, peaking two months later in November 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.muzic.net.nz/charts/s108222/ka-hao-feat-rob-ruha-35 |title=35 - Ka Hao feat. Rob Ruha - Top 40 Singles |website=Muzic.net.nz |accessdate=19 April 2022}} Between September 2021 and March 2022, the song spent 25 weeks in the top 40. It became the second best performing song of 2021 sung in Te Reo, behind Six60's song "Pepeha". The song was certified gold in New Zealand in November 2021,{{cite certification |type=single|id=2021-11-26|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|region=New Zealand|award=Gold}} and platinum by January 2022. Alongside "Pepeha" (which also received a platinum certification),{{cite certification |region=New Zealand |type=single |artist=Six60 |id=2021-12-24 |source=newchart |access-date=2024-11-20 |title=Pepeha }} these were the first songs sung in Te Reo to receive a certification since "Kia Mau Ki Tō Ūkaipō", the Māori language version of Six60's "Don't Forget Your Roots" in 2020,{{cite certification |region=New Zealand |type=single |artist=Six60 |title=Kia Mau Ki Tō Ūkaipō / Don't Forget Your Roots |id=2020-09-25 |source=newchart |access-date=2024-11-20 |domestic=true}} and Stan Walker's "Aotearoa" in 2015.{{cite web |url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/aotearoa-singles/2015-01-09 |title=Top 20 New Zealand Singles Chart |publisher=Recorded Music NZ |date=27 July 2015 |access-date=27 July 2015}}

Critical reception

The song won the grand prize at the 2022 APRA Awards.{{cite news|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/476921/the-winners-2022-silver-scroll-awards-announced |title=The winners: 2022 Silver Scroll Awards announced |date=19 October 2022 |website=Radio New Zealand |access-date=24 October 2022}} The song was performed during the awards ceremony by Stan Walker and Hamo Dell.{{cite news|url=https://waateanews.com/2022/10/19/ruha-takes-highway-35-to-silver-scroll/ |title=Ruha takes Highway 35 to Silver Scroll |date=19 October 2022 |website=Waatea News |access-date=24 October 2022}}

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/196435039/credits|title=Credits / 35|website=Tidal|accessdate=18 April 2022}}

Te Amorutu Broughton – lyricist, composer
Kaea Hills – lyricist, composer
Dan Martin – producer, lyricist, composer
Whenua Patuwai – lyricist, composer
Rob Ruha – lyricist, composer
Ainsley Tai – lyricist, composer

Charts

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|12\|artist=KA HAO FEAT. ROB RUHA\|song=35\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=6 November 2021}}
scope="row"\| New Zealand Artist Singles (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/aotearoa-singles/2021-11-19 \|title=NZ Singles Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|date=20 November 2021\|access-date=20 November 2021}} \| 1
scope="row"\| New Zealand Te Reo Māori Singles (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web\|title=18 October 2021 \|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/te-reo-singles/2021-10-15 \|website=Official NZ Music Charts\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|access-date=23 October 2021}} \| 1

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2021)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|New Zealand|12|artist=KA HAO FEAT. ROB RUHA|song=35|rowheader=true|accessdate=6 November 2021}}

scope="row"| New Zealand Artist Singles (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/aotearoa-singles/2021-11-19 |title=NZ Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=20 November 2021|access-date=20 November 2021}}

| 1

scope="row"| New Zealand Te Reo Māori Singles (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|title=18 October 2021 |url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/te-reo-singles/2021-10-15 |website=Official NZ Music Charts|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=23 October 2021}}

| 1

= Year-end charts =

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| New Zealand Te Reo Māori (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web\|url=https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/tereosingles?chart=5267 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124051356/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/tereosingles?chart=5267 \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=24 January 2022 \|title=Te Reo Māori O Te Rārangi 10 O Runga: End of Year Charts 2021\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|access-date=27 January 2022}} \| 2

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2021)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| New Zealand Te Reo Māori (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web|url=https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/tereosingles?chart=5267 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124051356/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/tereosingles?chart=5267 |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 January 2022 |title=Te Reo Māori O Te Rārangi 10 O Runga: End of Year Charts 2021|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=27 January 2022}}

| 2

Certifications

{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for "35"}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=New Zealand|relyear=2021|certyear=2021|award=Platinum|id=2022-01-28|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|refname=PlatinumRIANZ}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}