'Our baby made beats BEFORE SHE WAS BORN'

Kiwi musicians Aro reveal how they found new tunes in the pitter-patter of tiny feet

- Florence Hartigan

After spending two years touring New Zealand in their van, playing shows, and writing music, Auckland couple Charles and Emily Looker have a new source of inspiration that’s closer to home.

The husband-and-wife musical duo – who go by the name Aro, penning bilingual Maori and English songs that blend pop, R&B, and world music – wrote their latest song after an ultrasound appointment where they heard the heartbeat of their then-unborn baby for the very first time.

The pair met while studying at the University of Auckland and were friends for years before romance bloomed at a concert when the chance cancellation of a singer led Emily to ask Charles to fill in and join her on stage.

“We had one little rehearsal beforehand, then we rocked up to this cute little gig at my great-aunt and uncle’s retirement village,” recalls Emily, 29. “My great-auntie spoke at our wedding and said, ‘I remember seeing sparks flying at that gig!’”

The musicians had such obvious chemistry that everyone at the show thought they were engaged. A post-performance dinner fanned the flames of romance, but Emily still wasn’t so sure. “I was about to move overseas on a one-way ticket, so I was like, ‘This is just not the time for a boyfriend!’”