Iconic New Zealand artist, Rob Ruha, is set to release a fresh new single, ‘Kalega’, on Thursday November 2 – the first since his union with The Witch Dr.

The Witch Dr. features an alliance of some of Aotearoa’s finest musicians Darren Mathiassen (Shapeshifter), James Illingworth (Bliss n Eso), Tyna Keelan (The Nok) and Johnny Lawrence (Electric Wire Hustle).

The single is the first track from Rob Ruha & The Witch Dr’s highly anticipated bilingual album, SURVIVANCE, set for release later this year.

APRA Maioha Award-winning composers Tyna Keelan & Rob Ruha teamed up to co-write and co-produce ‘Kalega’ a fun, upbeat summer anthem.

“Kalega is pidgin- Māori slang for ‘too much’ and is common lingo on the East Coast,” says Ruha.

“Kalega is the perfect soundtrack to a typical East Coast summer road trip. A pilgrimage back to the beach to chill and unwind to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the city”

Ruha is a composer and artist of a new generation of Māori. He is a product of powerful kapa haka traditions and indigeneity, who rooted in traditional knowledge transforms it into contemporary works of music. He has collected a trove of New Zealand Music awards and his unique style of ‘Haka-soul’ music has been performed and embraced all over the world.

Ruha is an ambassador for APRA AMCOS NZ and Waiata Māori Music Awards and mentor to many rising Māori artists including Kaaterama, internet sensations the ‘Rū-cru’and New Zealand’s hottest male soul artist TEEKS.

It was today announced that Ruha is a recipient of the 2017 New Zealand Arts Awards. Alongside only 10 other extraordinary New Zealand artists, Ruha will be celebrated at the Arts Awards on November 6 in Auckland.

‘Kalega’ is at radio now, and will be available on all DSPs from November 2.