Punialava'a

Nominated for:
531pi Best Pacific Gospel Artist
​

​Punialava’a is a band that needs no introduction. The iconic Samoan group has been offering smooth island sounds and poetry through song and music since the late 1960s, when founder and composer Rev Lale Peteru established the family band. These days, a new generation of the aiga behind Punialava’a is continuing the legacy; performing new songs and material written by their father. After the heartbreak of the 2019 measles epidemic in Samoa - which saw the majority of cases and deaths being young children - and the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, the band released its heartfelt album last year, expressing the pain and tears of a nation: Tagi Le Atunu’u. The lead single in the album was dubbed Suga! La’u Penina, produced by Mase Josh Mase and band member and son Nanai Viellani Lale Peteru. Wanting something different for this particular song, the end result is a roots reggae sound that is reflective of where it was mixed and mastered - Jamaica.
​