Listen and pre-save: RAYA-RAYA
Auckland-based pop duo IVETA & SIMONE are set to release their new single, ‘RAYA-RAYA’, worldwide on 16 October 2026. Built around alternating lead vocals and shared choruses, the track places the creative partnership between the two singers at the heart of its performance.
Throughout the song, Iveta and Simone exchange vocal lines, each taking turns in the spotlight before coming together in the final chorus. The bridge highlights this interplay, with Simone leading the repeated “Turn it up” lines before Iveta takes the final line. The roles then reverse during “Take me high”, reinforcing the song’s shifting vocal dynamic.
The recurring refrain connects the individual performances, creating a shared musical identity while allowing both singers to retain their distinct voices.
A Song About Inner Power
Within IVETA & SIMONE’s artistic world, ‘RAYA-RAYA’ represents inner power. This concept extends into the official music video, which places the duo in a stylised industrial setting shaped by contrasting visual elements.
Moving between stark monochrome, dramatic shadows and warmer projected colours, the video creates a striking performance environment that complements the song’s vocal exchanges. The visual direction adds another dimension to the release, bringing together the duo’s musical and artistic identities.
From Auckland Beginnings to International Releases
IVETA & SIMONE began their partnership while performing in another band. Bulgarian-born Iveta and New Zealand-born Simone subsequently established their own project in Auckland, developing an original catalogue that includes previous singles ‘L.O.V.E.’ and ‘Corazon’.
Their earlier work has also attracted critical attention. Reviewing ‘Corazon’ in February 2023, Muzic.NZ writer Jack Grabham described the single as “commercial dynamite”, highlighting its twin-vocal lead. In 2026, the duo appeared as special guests at the Miss New Zealand Grand Final, adding another performance milestone to their journey.
With ‘RAYA-RAYA’, the pair continue to explore what makes their collaboration distinctive: two individual vocal identities working together within a unified pop performance.
The single arrives worldwide on Friday, 16 October 2026. Media enquiries are welcome for reviews and interviews exploring the recording, the duo’s vocal partnership and their creative process.
Release Information
- Artist: IVETA & SIMONE
- Single: ‘RAYA-RAYA’
- Release date: 16 October 2026
- Location: Auckland, New Zealand
- Website: www.ivetasimonemusic.com