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Jul 05, 2018 By Christopher Roberts Marlon Williams

New Zealand singer/songwriter/guitarist Marlon Williams released his sophomore album, Make Way For Love, back in February via Dead Oceans. Now he has shared a new video where he performs its title track, “Make Way For Love,” with The Pou Tiriao Singers live in the studio. It features just Williams singing and on acoustic guitar, backed by the amazing choir of The Pou Tiriao Singers (who are Raewyn Hodge, Zion Tauamiti, Nikora Nitro, Elishia Manihera, Vai Punivai, Isla Martin, Adonai Schwenke, Tuhekeao Williams, Hora Nicholas, and Biancha Biddle). The audio of the track was premiered by Amazon back in February, who also premiered the video today. Watch it below, followed by Williams’ upcoming tour dates.

Williams had this to say about the video in a press release: “From the genesis of this song’s journey, it gently but surely revealed its form to be a Maori waiata. The strum, the sentiment, the mauri. Lamentably, everything but the reo. So when the idea of doing a unique performance was brought to me by Amazon, I got straight on the blower to my pal Zion Tauamiti. I knew Zion was running a Maori and Pacifica youth community choir in East Christchurch, an area absolutely put through the wringer and hung out to dry in post Earthquake Canturbury. Zion was super keen to have the choir involved. We got together for one rehearsal and the strength of the unified sound was overwhelming. They treated me like one of the crew and when it came time to pool some money for petrol to get home and I reached for my wallet, Zion turned to me and told me in no uncertain terms to stay out of it; I was manuhiri and that was that.

“As we all know, in this world, terrible things happen to the best of people. Recently, Zion suffered a cardiac arrest after a routine surgery and was left in a coma for 6 days. Being the lion of a man that he is, Zion woke up and is now, thankfully, in the process of recovery. This video and the beautiful people gathered in it are a testament to Zion’s limitless energy, compassion and pure love for his people. To The Pou Tiriao, Zion and anyone watching, my deepest thanks. E hoa ma, ina te ora o te tangata.”

Previously Williams shared a video for Make Way For Love‘s first single, “Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore,” which is a duet with Aldous Harding and was our #1 Song of the Week, as well as videos for “What’s Chasing You” and “Come to Me” (which was also one of our Songs of the Week).

Williams released his self-titled debut album in America on Dead Oceans in early 2016 and he shared a video for a brand new standalone single, “Vampire Again,” in August 2017 (it was one of our Songs of the Week too). Make Way For Love began with pre-production in Williams’ native Lyttelton, New Zealand with regular collaborator Ben Edwards. Then the album was recorded with Williams’ backing band, The Yarra Benders and producer Noah Georgeson in North California’s Panoramic Studios. “Vampire Again” is not featured on the album.

Read our 2017 interview with Marlon Williams on Make Way For Love.

Read our 2016 interview with Marlon Williams.

Marlon Williams Tour Dates:

Fri. July 6 - Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
Sun. July 8 - Belfort, FR @ Eurockennes Festival
Mon. July 9 - Segrate, IT @ Circolo Magnolia w/ The White Buffalo
Fri. July 13 - Henham Park, UK @ Latitude Festival
Sun. July 15 - Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival
Thu. July 19 - Lörrach, DE @ Stimmen Festival
Fri. July 20 - Ostrava, CZ @ Colours of Ostrava Festival
Sun. July 22 - Salacgrīva, LV @ Positivus Festival
Fri. July 27 - Bristol, UK @ Rivertown Music Festival
Fri. Aug. 3 - Cambridge, UK @ Cambridge Folk Festival
Sat. Aug. 4 - Varel, DE @ Watt En Schlick Festival
Sun. Aug. 5 - Katowice, PL @ OFF Festival
Thu. Aug. 9 - Oslo, NO @ Oya Festival
Sat. Aug. 11 - Rees, DE @ Haldern Pop Festival
Wed. Aug. 15 - Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Festival
Thu. Aug. 16 - St. Malo, FR @ La Route Du Rock
Fri. Aug. 17 - Brecon Beacons, UK @ Greenman Festival
Sat. Aug. 18 - Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop Festival
Sun. Aug. 19 - Biddinghuizen, NL @ Lowlands Festival
Sat. Aug. 25 - Amsterdam, NL @ Once In A Blue Moon Festival
Sun. Oct. 7 - Melbourne, VIC @ Lost Picnic Melbourne 2018
Sat. Oct. 13 - Sydney, NSW @ Lost Picnic Sydney 2018
Tue. Oct. 30 - London, UK @ Hackney Arts Centre
Thu. Nov. 1 - Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli Vredenburg
Fri. Nov. 2 - Tilburg, NL @ Jupiler Hall
Sat. Nov. 3 - Groningen, NL @ Take Root Festival
Sun. Nov. 4 - Deventer, NL @ Burgerwesshuis
Mon. Nov. 5 - Antwerp, BE @ Trix
Wed. Nov. 7 - Berlin, DE @ Heimathafen
Thu. Nov. 8 - Leipzig, DE @ Naumann’s
Fri. Nov. 9 - Heidelberg, DE @ Halle O2
Sat. Nov. 10 - Paris, FR @ Trabendo
Mon. Nov. 12 - Nantes, FR @ Stereolux
Tue. Nov. 13 - Merignac, FR @ Le Krakatoa
Sat. Jan. 12 - Perth, WA @ Perth Arena *
Wed. Jan. 16 - Adelaide, SA @ Botanic Park *
Fri. Jan. 18 - Melbourne, VIC @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl *
Sat. Jan. 19 - Geelong, VIC @ A Day On The Green *
Tue. Jan. 22 - Brisbane, QLD @ Riverstage *
Sat. Jan. 26 - Sydney, NSW @ The Domain *
Wed. Jan. 30 - Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena *
* w/ Florence & The Machine

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