New song, new era: Hamokiterangi Dell is ‘Bittersweet’ about life

From band frontwoman to global collaborator, Hamokiterangi “Hamo” Dell (Ngāti Porou) has spent over a decade honing her craft.

On Friday, the independent artist reached a new milestone with the release of her latest RnB-Reggae blend, Bittersweet.

In an interview on 531pi Pacific Days, Dell shares that the song reflects both her passions and her musical roots, saying it is both familiar and fresh.

“Bittersweet is a mix of RnB and reggae…the reggae is really a reflection on where I started my journey in the music industry, and it’s what people are familiar with from me,” Dell says.

“It’s how they know me, so I thought it would be nice to keep the two together and have something familiar but still something that I’m passionate about.”

Born in Invercargill and raised with strong ties to Te Tai Rāwhiti - the East Coast of the North Island - Dell has been surrounded by music since childhood.

Dell’s father played in a New Zealand Brass Band, and her mother was deeply involved in kapa haka, nurturing her love for performance from an early age.

Dell started her professional journey as the lead vocalist for the popular BBQ Reggae band, Tomorrow People, where she spent five years before launching her solo career in 2020.

As an independent artist, Dell has taken full control of her music, combining her creative vision with a commitment to authenticity.

She has performed for audiences across the world, including in Australia, the Pacific Islands, North and South America, Europe, China, and South Korea.

Watch the full the interview with Hamo Dell below.

Since going solo, Dell has collaborated with some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s biggest names, including Kings, Stan Walker, and Sammy J.

Those projects have contributed to her growing popularity: her single Little Fun featuring Sammy J has 1.6 million streams on Spotify, she featured on the Māori multi-artist anthem, Te Matatini Ki Te Ao, which has 3.2 million streams, and her music video for Choose alongside Stan Walker has received 8.2 million views on YouTube.

Dell believes Bittersweet marks a new stage in her evolution as an artist.

“I feel like I’m really starting to step into who I am. I’m better represented in the songs I have coming now because I have so much more control over the sound, the writing, and the creative side of things.”

Though she admits there have been times when she questioned whether to continue her music career, the creative impulse always brought her back.

“I’ve definitely had points in my career where I’ve thought, ‘I don’t know if I can do this anymore’,” Dell says. “You go through those phases, but I’m still here.”

With her new song, Dell hopes listeners connect with the honesty in her work.

“Take what resonates with you and leave behind what doesn’t. All I really want to do is be able to express myself and be some sort of representation for wāhine out there. If I can do that, then that’s cool too.”

Bittersweet is available now on all streaming platforms, and Hamo Dell is also active on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.