Atua Blues Interview: “Music is a language that transcends all divides”

With their new album “Two Roots”, David Noël and Grant Haua are building a musical bridge between Occitania and New Zealand. And because we love them at Blues Actu, we went to meet them to talk about their superb project, Atua Blues, whose first album is released on Dixiefrog. A sincere, spiritual encounter with two major voices of modern blues and soul.

🎤 Atua Blues – Interview

Your duo, Atua Blues, was born from an improbable meeting between Māori New Zealand and Occitania. What made you want to write such a unique chapter of blues that’s both Francophone and Pacific?

David : Our passion for blues, soul, and gospel obviously has a lot to do with it. Music breaks all barriers and makes dialogue and encounters easier. With Grant, we took the time to get to know each other well, and little by little we discovered that we naturally shared many similarities and common values: attachment to our land, to our languages and traditions, and the importance of life’s simple pleasures. That was all we needed to take the step toward a heartfelt collaboration, which we did through our label Dixiefrog. We’re proud of Two Roots, the first Atua Blues album.

Grant : Music is the language that crosses all divides, no matter where you live or how you grew up being rich or poor black or white or green or purple, if you’re old or young, it doesn’t matter, you will find like minded souls no matter where you are on this planet, Dave and I have very similar taste in music, I think when writing music, to add a piece of where you are from can be a powerful component, because it’s uniquely real

You talk about a “meeting between the past, present, and future of the blues.” How do you each define that future?

David : For me, blues is a beacon of authenticity in an ocean of superficiality. I love its humanity and its strength of resilience. From the Mississippi Delta to today’s international stages, blues keeps evolving while staying true to its roots. It draws strength from a rich, tumultuous past to move forward into the future. Today, blues influences can be found in many musical genres, from pop to rap to electro. The masters of yesterday paved the way, and today’s musicians are walking that path, bringing their own vision and contribution to this priceless legacy. Blues is immortal, it’s constantly being reborn.

Grant : I like the direction of this album, it’s bluesy but in places country, a little rocky too but always there should be an element that comes from your soul, I’d like to continue down this path in the future while still maintaining that “Blues” integrity which is a little tricky if you stray too far away from it, I think this is a great way to help introduce new people to the genre and contribute in some way to this music that I love.

The album was released on Dixiefrog, a label that has often served as a bridge between America and Europe. I imagine that’s no coincidence!

David : Dixiefrog will soon celebrate its 40th anniversary. We’re proud to be part of the magical musical history of this great family. Run by André Brodski and François Maincent, their passion supports us every second. We thank them deeply from the heart.

Grant : Dixiefrog ROCKS!!

You recorded remotely. How did you preserve human warmth despite the distance?

David : Yes, we each recorded on our own. But we were ready, after our participation in the IBC, our long writing sessions, countless rehearsals, and emotional concerts. Our greatest strength is the trust we have in each other. Just sound, simple and true.

Grant : We did quite a few gigs prior to recording so we knew all we had to do is record what we did live onstage and add a couple of things to enhance the songs, you can’t beat doing the hard work on stage when preparing for the studio, building trust, figuring out what works best for the songs and keeping it simple but strong

“It was risky to tackle such an iconic song”

“Amazing Grace” opens the album, a bold choice for such a loaded standard. What’s your personal take on it?

David : When we started the collaboration, Grant and I made a list of songs we both loved, across all genres. Amazing Grace came up naturally. It’s a very meaningful song for both of us, deeply rooted in our lives. Grant’s grandmother used to sing it to him when he was a child, and I used to sing it to mine. I’ve always been fascinated by the power and resilience this gospel radiates. As a little anecdote, if you dig deep enough on social media, you might find a lovely video of Grant performing Amazing Grace in a church in Memphis.

Grant : It kicked ass for us live so I knew we had to try it in the studio. The first time I heard Dave sing it it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, it was a bit risky to attempt such a beloved song but I think we pulled it off.

In “My Sweet Lord,” you pay tribute to Harrison, but the track seems to reflect your own spiritual quest, and in your respective languages.

David : Yes, we pay tribute to George Harrison, but above all to this universal gospel. A powerful, pacifist, and spiritual song. Its message reflects a person’s relationship with their God, whatever their religion or language. We wanted to revisit this hymn without distorting it, to offer a radiant version that nods to our roots: Māori for Grant, Béarnais for me. Singing in our traditional languages was pure joy.

Grant : Harrison for me has God status in multiple ways, as a singer, as one of the most beautiful songwriters, as a guitarist, as a Beatle, a divine spirit in the music arena, to add our own touches on that song was a cool experience and giving it that Billy Preston groove was the icing on the cake, a song with deep religious undertones and emotional sincerity, and you can interpret the meaning of Lord however you please, God, Allah, Buddha, Atua, there’s a glue within that song that unites all cultures.

You both have very distinctive vocal signatures. When did you realize your voices harmonized perfectly?

Grant : Probably for me after the first jam with the bro, some things work and some things just don’t, but when they are dissimilar and still work together it’s really very cool, you get a “2 for 1” type thing for the listener hehehe

David : We joined the Dixiefrog family at the same time, and I discovered Grant’s universe then. One day, he visited one of our concerts in Bordeaux, where my SuperSoul Brothers invited him on stage. Later, he returned the favor. That’s when André Brodski perceived the natural brotherhood between us: the joy we shared, the same philosophy of life, and the compatibility of our voices.

Let’s talk about the album title, “Two Roots.” Is that a nod to your different backgrounds?

Grant : Yes, we live almost exactly on opposite sides of the planet, but our countryside is almost identical, lots of green, mountains, sheep, rivers, two roots worlds apart but still the same in so many ways.

David : Exactly. We decided to write together our vision of the blues: an acoustic blues infused with gospel, country, and soul, tinted with our Māori and Béarnais roots. A simple, universal, direct, organic album born from a deep desire to merge our two worlds.

“River Blues” is a country interlude. How did that song come about?

David : We both love nature, legends, and good stories. Country music is perfect for storytelling, and Grant is a fantastic songwriter. New Zealand in many ways resembles the Basque Country: rivers, ocean, mountains. This song echoes our roots.

Grant : I always loved that groove, and I’ve heard it in many blues and country songs in various shapes and forms over the years, it’s a simple song with a simple plot: a woman carrying you away like a river, not exactly breaking new ground but I just wanted to write a song to tap your feet to, I’m happy it made it on the album

With “Suck It Up” and “No Competition,” you take a more rock-oriented turn.

Grant : yep, sometimes I often wonder if I’ve strayed too far away from the blues when writing an album and calling it a “Blues” album, these two songs are prime examples, purists might be crying for blood, but for me both these songs have a comedic element, I think it’s cool to have a couple light hearted songs to show you can have a laugh at yourself, so I hope the purists don’t beat me up too much.

David : “The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll,” sang Muddy Waters. It’s not really a departure: Grant Haua’s world is very blues-rock, and there’s plenty of rock’n’soul with my SuperSoul Brothers too.

“Blues tells life”

In “Who’s Gonna Change My Soul” and “What Have We Done,” there’s a sense of prayer and rebellion. Is blues necessarily political?

David : Blues tells life. It echoes its times. It bears witness. It’s a message in itself, social, human, therefore political. It comes from suffering, from a cry, from injustice, from rebellion.

Grant : Both heavy songs and a great counterpoint to songs like No Competition, Dave took the lead with the lyrics here and I love that dark energy coming out, personally What Have We Done is my favourite on this album, the arrangement in particular is very interesting to me, I love the strings at the end, there’s a few things going on under the surface

Historically, blues is a music of exile and resistance. How do you relate that heritage to your own experience?

David : Soul, blues, and gospel have been in my DNA since childhood. These resilient genres have accompanied every stage of my life. They are my strength and give me a unique palette to express my deepest emotions.

Grant : We have had our share of oppression in New Zealand and there’s still a lot of racial nonsense, I could go on and on about what happened here and I’ve personally seen some fucked up shit, does it give my music an integrity? I don’t know, maybe, if I grew up in my grandparents’ time I could give you a more definitive answer but I’ve always loved this music from an early age, before the world had its way with me so to speak.

You come from different cultures — Māori and Occitan. What common ground did you find between those roots?

Grant : There are so many things in common it’s scary, we like the same music, the places we live are very similar, they like rugby too in the area Dave is from, lots of sheep, our partners are both brunettes and have long hair, we both hate rap music hehehe I could go on and on

David : Many things bring us together. The Pyrénées-Atlantiques are very similar to the region where Grant lives in New Zealand. We share the same values: traditions, mountains, the ocean, languages, singing, legends, conviviality, and a love of good food. It just clicks.

This album brings together the English of blues, the Pacific groove, and Occitan melancholy. Could you sing in your respective languages?

Grant : Great question. Māori translates well to rhythm so yes, I’ve written several songs in Māori but only parts of the song, in the future I would like to do an album in 100% Māori but I don’t have a strong enough grasp of the language like a lot of my friends, but there are many New Zealand artists who do.

David : I come from a region where oral tradition and traditional singing are still vital. From Béarn to the Pyrenees, people sing everywhere, at concerts and at the bar. These songs celebrate conviviality and belonging, just like the blues. I dream of singing a blues in Occitan one day with Joan de Nadau and his whole team.

You’ve already performed several of these songs live, especially in France. How did the audience respond?

David : The audience’s response exceeded our expectations, warm, radiant, and encouraging. With Grant, we love closeness and sharing emotions. During the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, we realized our blues was universal.

Grant : We’ve had really great feedback so far, the more we do the better the shows have gotten

Do you see Two Roots as a first chapter or a one-shot?

David : We both have our own projects in parallel, I’ll soon be back in the studio with the SuperSoul Brothers, but I’d sign right away for chapter two. It’s a joy to create with Grant, without filters or artifice. In a duo, complicity is essential.

Grant : Well it’s been a great journey so far and I’d love to do more down the track, the cool thing is we are both busy with other stuff and this is a labour of love in some ways, this is not hard work, it’s more of a pleasure to do than anything else, and I just love playing gigs and doing this type of work, always have.

John Lee Hooker said: “It’s when life hits you, and you sing anyway.” What’s your personal definition of blues in 2025?

David : We’re living through a complex transition period, loss of values, fear for the future. Blues must remain a window into humanity, our emotions and our joys. It should speak to the heart, open the mind, defend life and recreate connection. Bring humans, transmission, and nature back to the center of everything.

Grant : For myself it’s always been picking yourself up after being knocked down and having another go, the modern world has its own challenges but the principal spirit of the blues remains the same, I think the real challenge is how to evolve the music to keep it fresh and appealing for younger generations and offer something cool like SRV and Robert Cray did for me when I was young, it’s great to see guys like Marcus King and Kingfish carrying the torch forward like Billy Strings is doing for country music, blues is often attached to the guitar but the guitar itself is not enough anymore, the appeal of being a guitar god is fading, but writing a great song will always be a winner, and if it’s a blues song well that’s even better.