I Am the River, the River Is Me
I Am the River, the River Is Me (in te reo Māori Ko Au Te Awa, Ko Te Awa Ko Au) is the fifth studio album by Australian musician Jen Cloher. The album was recorded between New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia and is Cloher's first to feature songs sung in both English and te reo Māori, as well as a joint te reo Māori and English title. I Am the River, the River Is Me was announced in November 2022 and released on 3 March 2023 via Milk! Records. The album will be supported by an Australian tour, commencing in Perth on 6 May 2023 before heading to Europe in June 2023 and concluding in New Zealand in July 2023. At the 2023 Music Victoria Awards, the album was nominated for Best Album. At the 2023 ARIA Music Awards, the album earned Cloher a was nomination for Best Solo Artist. Reception Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen of Sydney Morning Herald said "Sonically, the record leans into a folksy palette that brings to mind Cloher's earlier work" saying, I Am the River, the River Is Me reads like a love letter to many things: heritage, queerness, oneself. Cloher is one of Australia's finest