Mighty Tree by Louis Baker
Mighty Tree is the third single from acclaimed New Zealand soul musician Louis Baker's forthcoming album, Trouble.
Following previous singles "All We Need" and title track "Trouble," which has received support from BBC 6 Music and Jazz FM, "Mighty Tree" offers further insight into Baker’s record, adding emotional depth as it turns towards remembrance, connection and the lasting impact people leave on their communities.
Written to honor the loss of a friend Louis deeply respected, "Mighty Tree" was inspired by the Māori proverb "Kua hinga te tōtara i te wao nui a Tāne," "A mighty tōtara has fallen in the great forest of Tāne." In Aotearoa New Zealand, the proverb is used when someone of great importance has passed, a person whose life, work, and presence have made a lasting impact on those around them.
The songwriting process became an exercise in stripping the song back to what mattered most. "I wrote pages and pages of lyrics. In the end, I kept only the lines that felt like they mattered most," says Baker. "Words fail when trying to sum up a loss like this in a song. Even though it’s finished, it doesn’t feel complete - there will always be more to say, more to remember, and more that words can’t fully express."
Written and produced by Baker, "Mighty Tree" kicks off with punchy, upfront 70s-style drums, a driving 16th-note hi-hat groove, and spring-reverb-drenched congas, underpinned by a deep, melodic bassline and warm, tape-saturated character. A swirling, Uni-Vibe lead guitar adds another layer of movement and texture, while lush strings and soulful Wurlitzer keys round out the arrangement, allowing Baker’s soulful vocal to sit with clarity and definition at the center. The production is tight and intimate, with rich, psychedelic textures to create a hypnotic, understated groove.
"Mighty Tree" sits at the heart of the themes explored across Trouble, an album concerned with resilience, love, grief, community, social consciousness and personal growth. Across nine tracks, Baker brings together live instrumentation, organic performances and contemporary production, creating a body of work that reflects both his musical evolution and his perspective on the world around him.
Louis Baker - Mighty Tree
Release Date 18th September 2026
Label Louis Baker Music/Self-Released
Tracklist
01. Louis Baker - Mighty Tree