'Hine E Hine!' is an example of the songs of Ana Matawhāura Hato (1907–1953) and Deane Waretini Snr (c. 1905–1967), cousins who were the first two Māori singers to be commercially recorded in the late 1920s.

A lullaby in Māori written by Fanny Howie, this rendition showcases Hato's famed soprano, which Waretini considered the best soprano in New Zealand at the time. The emotional harmony, carried by the synchronicity between Hato and Waretini, speaks to their experience and confidence as public performers.

Hato was a member of the Māori concert group run by Guide Rangi and regularly performed at public occasions. In 1927, when she was 20, she sang with Waretini for the Duke and Duchess of York, accompanied by pianist Te Mauri Meihana and the Rotorua Māori Choir. Australian technicians from Parlophone Records recorded the performance.

Afterwards, Hato and Waretini travelled to Sydney to make further recordings of ‘Hine E Hine!’ and other songs. Their records sold thousands of copies in New Zealand and Australia.