TRACK PREMIERE: MAREYA – ‘Need You Now’

Māori pop stalwart MAREYA has swung through with her first release for 2024 – an infectiously smoky, retro-tinged bop called Need You Now – and ahead of its official release tomorrow, Purple Sneakers has the go-ahead to give you an exclusive first-listen.

The equally soulful and charged new single is a collaborative affair, featuring club-ready beats by fellow singer-songwriter and producer Younique (who is also MAREYA’s partner) as well as roaring saxophone performed by Keidan Morley.

If you’ve had the privilege to see MAREYA live over the past few months, there’s a good chance you’ve already heard Need You Now as part of her setlist. In a statement shared with Purple Sneakers, she said of its journey from the stage to the speakers: “It’s awesome to witness how audiences instantly vibe with this track as well as to share this with my partner and friend who collaborated on its development.”

MAREYA went on to say of the story behind Need You Now: “The work is quite unique, with the lyrics exposing personal vulnerability as they seek to return to a deeper sense of self, after a depressive episode caused a disconnection. But l love how the sound design and sax hook juxtapose the minor key and feel to bring a sense of fun to it... All towards a climax which is released via an epic saxophone solo of pent up emotions!”

Morley’s involvement in the track stemmed from Younique’s excitement over the riff and hook MAREYA was forming. He explained in a statement of his own: “I have always wanted to make a record that has HUGE sax appeal, and this one fulfilled that craving.

“I’ve also been a producer [and] engineer for multiple artists, which is for their sound and their music, so it was brilliant to be able to represent my own sound on this track, alongside my partner and to creatively direct the whole, super fun process to achieve what is now ‘our’ own sound.”

Have a listen to Need You Now below:

Need You Now comes as MAREYA’s first new single for the year, following a trio of standalone singles she dropped throughout 2023: I’m In Love arrived first in February (as another collab with Younique), followed by Get It (a joint effort with MorningMaxwell) in April, and then Triple Fire (again with Younique) in August.

It also marks her first release on Tomboi Records, with a press release noting that executives were “inspired by the way MAREYA is able to bring forth such appealing pop/dance pieces which maintain a certain depth and character”. The label’s founding director, Alexis Benedict, praised Need You Now for how “the versatility with the sound design both allows you to dance and get drawn into the music, while somehow transmuting the deeper message of MAREYA’s lyrics”.