Ariana (Kai Tahu/Ngati Kahungunu) has just been announced as a finalist in the Waiata Maori Awards 2013, in two categories: Best Māori Pop Album and Best Māori Female Solo Artist.

Ariana released her third solo album last year ‘From Dust to Light’, and has a song ‘Kua whakawa’on the recent complilation Tatou Tatou e 3 produced by Auckland’s Kog Studio.

“The song on Tatou Tatou e is quite a different waiata for me, in that it is mostly spoken word and has a more ‘urban’ feel, but it is fun to keep moving in different directions musically, particularly since I have been doing it for so long now!” Ariana said.

Ariana has recently returned from a whirlwind tour of France where she performed for the opening of France’s first Maori Garden,’Te Putake’ in the Moselle District, and collaborated with flamenco guitarist, Juanito Fuentes in Brittany.