Tyran - I Want To See You Again / Heaven
- 1I Want To See You Again
- 2Heaven
007
•
Open edition
Over the last six months, Tyran Talamaivao, a teacher’s aide by day and a singer-songwriter by night, has become one of the most anticipated new voices in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. Today, he steps out of the shadows with the release of his double single, ‘Heaven' (featuring The Hongi Slicker & AJ Honeysuckle). b/w I Want To See You Again’ (featuring Summer Vee).
Written and demoed during what Tyran calls quick, easy and natural “hour of power” sessions with Mānuka Recordings co-founder and in-house producer Kenny Sterling, the songs feature a cast of collaborators including the composer Navakatoa Tekela-Pule (Noa Records) and a who’s who of local session musicians. Across both songs, Tyran’s warm baritone is the star, bathed in the golden light of late summer and early autumn in the city of a thousand lovers.
Though their chemistry suggests longtime friends, Tyran and Kenny only started working together in October 2025 after they were introduced by Elijah Manu, aka Church (of Church and AP). After Manu’s prompt, Tyran downloaded Kenny’s instrumental jazz-funk song ‘Love’s Mirage’, chopped it up, and tracked a demo over it. A week later, they were in the studio.
Across ‘I Want To See You Again’, the proud West Auckland-born Samoan singer-songwriter and guitarist, croons sweetly about waiting to see someone special again over a bubbling reggae soul groove. With Ezra Donnelly on drums and Navakatoa on bass, the rhythm section is rock solid. As Tyran and Summer Vee’s voices intertwine, JY Lee, Navakatoa and Kenny add flutes, electric guitar, Moog synthesiser and other instrumentation to the heartfelt singalong vibes.
On the flipside, ‘Heaven’ finds Cory Champion (drums), Julien Dyne (percussion), Navakatoa, and Kenny setting up a sweet 1980s-style UK Lovers Rock riddim for Tyran to play guitar and pour his heart out over. As he sings about the sacred and the profane, desire and transcendence, The Hongi Slicker and AJ Honeysuckle hop in for some beautifully complementary backing vocals.
Recorded between Aesum Music House, Sterling Studios, and The Hong Slicker’s home studios, the songs were mixed by Kenny and mastered by Josh Llewellyn at Downbeat Mastering.
‘I Want To See You Again’ / ‘Heaven’ is available now on limited-edition vinyl, digital download, and streaming platforms.
Written and demoed during what Tyran calls quick, easy and natural “hour of power” sessions with Mānuka Recordings co-founder and in-house producer Kenny Sterling, the songs feature a cast of collaborators including the composer Navakatoa Tekela-Pule (Noa Records) and a who’s who of local session musicians. Across both songs, Tyran’s warm baritone is the star, bathed in the golden light of late summer and early autumn in the city of a thousand lovers.
Though their chemistry suggests longtime friends, Tyran and Kenny only started working together in October 2025 after they were introduced by Elijah Manu, aka Church (of Church and AP). After Manu’s prompt, Tyran downloaded Kenny’s instrumental jazz-funk song ‘Love’s Mirage’, chopped it up, and tracked a demo over it. A week later, they were in the studio.
Across ‘I Want To See You Again’, the proud West Auckland-born Samoan singer-songwriter and guitarist, croons sweetly about waiting to see someone special again over a bubbling reggae soul groove. With Ezra Donnelly on drums and Navakatoa on bass, the rhythm section is rock solid. As Tyran and Summer Vee’s voices intertwine, JY Lee, Navakatoa and Kenny add flutes, electric guitar, Moog synthesiser and other instrumentation to the heartfelt singalong vibes.
On the flipside, ‘Heaven’ finds Cory Champion (drums), Julien Dyne (percussion), Navakatoa, and Kenny setting up a sweet 1980s-style UK Lovers Rock riddim for Tyran to play guitar and pour his heart out over. As he sings about the sacred and the profane, desire and transcendence, The Hongi Slicker and AJ Honeysuckle hop in for some beautifully complementary backing vocals.
Recorded between Aesum Music House, Sterling Studios, and The Hong Slicker’s home studios, the songs were mixed by Kenny and mastered by Josh Llewellyn at Downbeat Mastering.
‘I Want To See You Again’ / ‘Heaven’ is available now on limited-edition vinyl, digital download, and streaming platforms.
