Next time you take off on an Air New Zealand flight with a soundsystem, you might just hear the dulcet tones of Hawke’s Bay artist Mahina Lawrence warmly welcoming you or farewelling
you on your travels.
The 25-year-old’s song 7 Seas has taken to the skies and secured a spot on Air NZ’s music playlist. Mitchell Hageman reports.
A call from Mahina Lawrence’s flight attendant cousin came as quite a shock to the rising Hastings star.
“She mentioned my song 7 Seas was playing on the plane. I was like, ‘What the heck?!” she told Hawke’s Bay Today.
“Shortly after, I kept getting flooded with family and friends’ videos of the song playing.”
The love song, one of five Lawrence is releasing under the Icon Music record label, explores the concept of love and fittingly ties in with Air New Zealand’s ethos.
“It’s called 7 Seas, and, as you can imagine, this girl has travelled the seven seas to find her love. It’s so fitting that Air New Zealand has picked it up because they travel the seven seas.”
Air New Zealand general manager customer experience Kylie McGillivray-Brown said the airline curates special playlists for onboard customers each month.
“Kiwi sounds surround passengers before they are seated, and this month includes Mahina Lawrence.
“We rotate the songs each month and hope that our customers enjoy the sounds from the wide variety of New Zealand artists while onboard our aircraft.”
Lawrence said she had been making music for “as long as she could remember” and participated in the Hawke’s Bay emerging artist programme Project Prima Volta during her high school years.
“It was that group that really inspired me to want to do music,” she said.
in 2019, she was also one of the five national finalists to join one of NZ’s top bands Tomorrow People and perform with them at Jim Beam Homegrown.
Lawrence said she “couldn’t be prouder” to be representing her Hawke’s Bay hometown.
“We’re only small, but my dream is definitely to do my music and somehow put us on the map a little bit more than we already are.”
While continuing her recording duties, she’s also snagged the lead role of Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors in Waipawa.
“That community hasn’t had a musical since 2017, so this is a great way for them to give back to their community and smile again, and I’m so grateful to be a part of that,” she said.
Her next single comes out May 17.
“It’s called Not the Same. It’s more about my healing journey and the next chapter of my story.”
While she said it was “cliche”, she cited her parents as her biggest inspirations.
“It’s just how hardworking they are, and I want to put their hard work into myself and hopefully give them something.”
She said she still hasn’t experienced her own song in the air.
“Get me on a plane!” she joked.
“But in all seriousness, I’m very thankful that my song is getting out there and that my own country is pushing my song.”
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in January 2023. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
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