Puna Ora is a shimmering ode to the unseen magic within us all.
Te Tiriti-based duo, Aro, are set to release their new single, Puna Ora, on November 21st, the first glimpse of their forthcoming concept album Tāwauwau, now announced for release in March 2026 .
Puna Ora, plays on the richness of the word puna - as it flows through mokopuna and tūpuna. The waiata reflects on how each mokopuna is a union of the many beautiful puna they come from, becoming tūpuna themselves, in turn, a source, a puna of great things, both tangible and intangible, visible and invisible, but always deeply felt.
“The song is about awakening that inner puna ora, that living spring inside us that connects us to our tūpuna, our tamariki, and to something beyond what we can see.”
Aro, Charles (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Mutunga) and Emily Looker, are a multi-award winning Te Tiriti-based duo whose artistry blends te reo Māori and English, weaving together jazz, folk, soul, and RnB influences. Their work is anchored in the values of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga - caring for ourselves, each other, and the natural world.
Over Easter 2025, Aro, stepped into a new chapter of their lives, packing up their Pukekohe home and moving into their custom-fitted Rugged Kiwi caravan and hitting the road with their two tamariki to live a life centred around whānau, community, bicultural connection, adventure, and legacy.
It was during this time, often in the quiet of the night, while their tamariki slept, where ideas that had sprung to mind during the day, at play, in Aotearoa’s magical outdoors - that these new creations began to come to life.
With their signature blend of contemporary indie-folk, soul and haka-infused motifs, Aro invite listeners into a soundscape that feels both magical and grounded - a glimpse of the fantastical world of Tāwauwau - a place beyond perception.
Their forthcoming concept album, Tāwauwau, is a body of work inspired by life on the road with their young whānau, and the wonder, weight, and yearning that travel stirred up.
At the heart of it all is whānau. Their 4 year old daughter, and almost 2 year old son travel with them, making Aro as much a story of family as it is of music. Their songs carry that sense of intimacy — a reminder of the magic glimpsed as children, and the responsibility of carrying it forward for generations to come.
Puna Ora is the invitation to Tāwauwau, a concept album that journeys between confronting the struggles of real life to protect the hope and beauty glimpsed in this other world.
The single will be available on all streaming platforms from November 21st, 2025, with thanks to Te Māngai Paho who funded the making of this project.
