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US singer/songwriter, Maya Piata, has used inspiration from her Māori heritage and her home town, New Orleans, to create her own style, something she describes as 'sunshine soul.'
She has strong connections with New Zealand, as her mother was touring in the US with a Māori Performing Arts group when she met Piata's father, a poet and jazz musician.
Maya Piata says she will be bringing a combination of the cultures that she identifies with to the Auckland Arts Festival in about a week.
She joins Kathryn to talk about her musical influences, surviving Hurricane Katrina when it hit New Orleans and what she's looking forward to doing while she is in New Zealand.
