From the Album Ka Hao: One Tira, One Voice (2023)

Feel-good track ‘35’ pays tribute to the towns of Te Tairāwhiti, the East Cape, dotted along coastal State Highway 35. Following Ka Hao’s first tour, the 24-member rangatahi choir set out to write an album, with '35' becoming their debut single. Written during songwriting wānanga with Rob and Cilla Ruha, the uplifting music video shows Ka Hao and Rob Ruha gathered in a community theatre, watching scenes of life on the coast. The track not only won the 2022 APRA Silver Scroll Award and topped the NZ Top 40 Singles Chart, but also within weeks of release gained attention worldwide, going viral on social media app TikTok.