 Wameblood is a respected contemporary music act from Papua New Guinea, known for blending modern PNG sounds with strong cultural identity and meaningful storytelling. The name is closely associated with singer-songwriter Johnny Yawari, who has been recognized as the lead singer and creative force behind the group. Wameblood gained popularity through original music performed in local languages, Tok Pisin, and English, helping bring Papua New Guinean music to wider audiences.
Originating from the Kutubu region, Wameblood’s music often reflects pride in homeland, community values, and the realities of everyday life in PNG. Their sound combines island pop, reggae, Melanesian rhythms, and modern production, creating songs that connect strongly with listeners across the country and throughout the Pacific. Popular releases such as Kudoumu helped establish the group as a recognizable name in PNG entertainment. Beyond music success, Wameblood has also used its platform to support community causes and youth development. Through concerts and fundraising efforts, the group has contributed to education initiatives and support for rural communities, showing a commitment that extends beyond entertainment. Today, Wameblood is regarded as one of the influential modern acts in Papua New Guinea’s music scene, representing a generation of artists using culture, language, and digital platforms to share PNG music with audiences around the world. Nominated for: ‘Puki’, ‘Kumul Fly’, ‘Batchiba’ Finalist for: NIU FM BEST INTERNATIONAL PACIFIC ARTIST
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 Village90 are a powerhouse of island-infused R&B and soul, blending smooth grooves with unmistakable Pacific flavour. Their debut single Young Love was a breakout streaming success, and their electrifying performance alongside SWIDT at the 2022 Pacific Music Awards firmly established them as rising stars in Aotearoa’s music scene.
Made up of five incredibly talented musicians, Village90’s members are no strangers to the spotlight - frequently performing with top-tier international artists while continuing to develop their own distinctive sound. Their momentum continues to build after earning a nomination for Best Pacific Group at the 2025 Pacific Music Awards. New music is out soon. Nominated for: ‘On My Way’, ‘All I Want’ Finalist for: FLAVA BEST PACIFIC GROUP  2020 marked a standout year for Vallé with the release of two of his best singles to date: “Trip Advisor” and “Prodigy”. “Trip Advisor” received international acclaim, even earning a spot on Apple Music’s Music 1 radio show. The high-energy video, shot in his native Papua New Guinea, earned Vallé a nomination for Best Pacific Music Video at the 2021 Pacific Music Awards, further elevating his profile.
Building on this success, Vallé co-wrote “Trouble Finds A Girl” for New Zealand artist Jenny Mitchell, which went on to win the APRA Best Country Music Song award in 2022. That same year, Vallé released his debut EP “Caged Birds”, which quickly garnered over 300,000 streams across digital platforms, showcasing his growing fanbase and wide appeal. In 2023, Vallé reached another significant milestone, contributing to the book “Pacific Arts Aotearoa” by Lana Lopesi, published by Penguin Books. This marked his first time contributing to a major literary project, underscoring his influence beyond music. As Vallé continues to carve his path in the music and cultural spheres, his work remains a powerful reflection of Pacific artistry and creativity. “Hold Me” Key Achievements
Nominated for Best Music Video
Nominated for: ‘Hold Me’ Finalist for: NZ ON AIR BEST PACIFIC MUSIC VIDEO  Tree’s journey began in South Auckland, where the hymns of her Samoan villages Le’auva’a, Saleimoa, Lefaga, Salelologa, Lufilufi and Moata’a echoed through a household grounded in faith and song. By fifteen, she and her cousin defied expectations to win a national high-school competition with their original band, proving that resilience and creativity were her true calling.
Over the next decade, Tree’s luminous authenticity carried her through sold-out shows and award stages alike. A Mesmerising Singer/Songwriter, Live Performing Artist, Music/Vocal Director and Music Video Director. Her self-titled debut album Mrs Tree earned the Tui Award for Best Pacific Album in 2020, cementing her place among Aotearoa’s most compelling voices. She’s shared the stage with Pacific luminaries performing “Sincerely Yours” live with Fiji at Motherland 2023, co-writing “Moonlight Lovers: and “Don’t Say Goodbye” with Sammy Johnson, and crafting the Mr & Mrs EP alongside her husband, reggae sensation SWISS. After five years of balancing motherhood, marriage and creative exploration, Tree poised to bloom anew. In 2025 she successfully headlined shows across Aotearoa NZ, Australia, Hawaii, Seattle USA and Rarotonga. On July 16th 2025, she directed, hosted and launched an online 8 episode talk show platform ‘Mrs tree Radio’ with guests such as Adeaze, Joanna Mika, The O'Neill Twins, Elena Folau, Brotherhood Musiq and more sharing their real life stories and experiences. Her second album The Rose Era arrived 25th July 2025, Driven by her trademark blend of Gospel warmth, soulful R&B weaved with her pacifica roots and lyrics from her heart on her sleeve. Tree is an Entrepreneur and uses her platform, knowledge and experience as a powerful tool to inspire. She is an ambassador for Duffy Books and Brown Girl Woke (2025) and partners her husband Swiss in Directing BLK Entertainment Ltd who were successfully the recipients of the 2025 Arch Angel Independent Label Pacific Music Award. She remains committed to inspiring hope and authenticity on record, stages and in real life. Nominated for: The Rose Era Finalist for: PACIFIC MEDIA NETWORK BEST PACIFIC LANGUAGE 531pi BEST PACIFIC GOSPEL ARTIST AUCKLAND COUNCIL BEST PACIFIC FEMALE ARTIST  South Auckland’s finest Three Houses Down has long been a favourite group among reggae and music fans in New Zealand and around the Pacific.
Three Houses Down have been around for a close to two decades with two studio albums Breakout (featuring the award winning single 'Kanikapila') and Dreadtown which got the band touring the US, Australia, Hawaii and across the Pacific for a many years. Following a busy schedule they released an EP Moon and back with hit singles, ‘She's My Woman feat Spawn Breezie’. The family supported and released music with General Fiyah with a number of hits, including ‘Love & Affection’ – which saw them continue to perform and also take home a number of national music awards. In 2022 they released ‘The Dream’ - a song with a smooth and easy-listening melody that works to uplift the listener. The song featured Pacific legend Fiji and Kiwi artist Troy Kingi. The boys have returned to the studio and released the collection of hit tracks on their Lovers Roots EP. The first single ‘Shot Caller’ setting the scene for their signature sound, a welcome return to the airwaves and stages. This is a band that always brings their A game to the stage and no doubt a hard act to follow. Nominated for: Lovers Roots EP Finalist for: NZ ON AIR BEST PACIFIC MUSIC VIDEO BEST PACIFIC ROOTS/REGGAE ARTIST FLAVA BEST PACIFIC GROUP  Malcolm Lakatani aka MAL #musicandlife
If fusing languages and music genres were a sport, then NZ born Niuean musician Mal Lakatani would be a gold medalist. Mal is an accomplished singer/song writer in English and Niuean. He is a wonderfully, gifted musician with talents that extend from lead vocals, guitars, keyboards and drums. After many years traveling and touring the globe, with Polynesian group Te Vaka, Mal was inspired to embark on a personal voyage to pursue his own musical dreams. His first solo performances were at the 2004 and 2005 Pasifika Festival. His first musical dream came to light in 2009 upon the independent release of his debut EP “Quote Unquote”. This beautiful piece of work saw Mal merge his soulful vocals alongside his contemporary interpretations of traditional Niuean classics. This was an innovative feat that earned him three official nominations at the 2010 Pacific Music Awards. His next release “Nukututaha” was featured on the compilation CD celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Pacific Music Awards. Mal is a renowned guitarist performing in many bands including Che Fu and The Kratez and Daylight Robbery with David Dallas– and his own 2 piece band aQstik Soul. Mal is also regularly invited as a guest artist for special events and performances. “He’s not just a jammer he’s a supreme musician.” - Dixon Nacey from Bands by Design Mal Lakatani has fully immersed himself within his craft so it comes as no surprise to learn that he is also a qualified music teacher. In 2014 he established ‘The Creative Souls Projects’, and the ‘Little Souls Music Academy’, which are programmes that fully develop “the talent, strengths and spirit of young people in the arts.” Focusing on his work and family in recent years. 2015 saw Mal return to work on his own music, beginning with Fiti Lagakali” – which saw him recognised at the 2016 Pacific Music Awards. He followed this with the releases and videos for ‘True to You’ in 2018 and ‘Smile’ in 2019. Since then Mal has been working on an album, celebrating Vagahau Niue. An advocate for his language and culture, Mal formed a natural partnership with Pacific Kids Learning. Pacific Kids' Learning aims to fill the digital space with culturally affirming content in Pacific languages and English, to support Pacific learners in maintaining connections to their culture and heritage as they navigate today's world. Working with the support of Pacific Kids Learning, who produced the projects, he created ‘Ulihega’ and ‘Vevela Mai He Lā’. Both songs were recorded, mixed and mastered by MALKS PRODUCTIONS and released by Pacific Kids Learning on their compilation Pacific Digital Dance Vole 2. Through this collaboration, they are encouraging our communities and families to embrace their language and culture – using music as a vehicle to learn and enjoy. 'Ulihega' is composed by Taonepuna Lakatani & Malcolm Lakatani, with the next part of the project involved creating the video clip, a digital animation of song and dance celebrating the use of a local Niue delicacy in "Ulihega" aka raw fish. Mal involved his children Aundreah Lakatani and Trinity Soul Lakatani, and brother Monty Lakatani for the video that was released earlier this year. Nominated for: ‘Ulihega’, ‘Vevela Mai He Lā’ Finalist for: PACIFIC MEDIA NETWORK BEST PACIFIC LANGUAGE  Talia Perese is a 20-year-old R&B/Pop artist from Auckland, New Zealand, known for her smooth vocals, emotional songwriting, and polished production. Drawing influence from Kehlani, Ariana Grande, and SAILORR, Talia’s sound blends vulnerability and strength with modern R&B/Pop energy.
Her debut single “Echo” (produced by EDYONTHEBEAT and Grammy-winner ASTRO) earned over a million streams and over 5 million views across TikTok and Instagram. Her latest release “Skin Deep” a slow-burning romantic R&B ballad - has already surpassed 700K streams as well as over 2 million views on social media, with a remix featuring Myshaan. Her self-titled album last year has over 2 million streams. Managed by producer EDYONTHEBEAT, Talia also drew early attention from RCA Records. With more singles planned for 2026 and another album on the way, she’s quickly becoming one of Aotearoa’s most promising new voices. Nominated for: Talia Perese Finalist for: AUCKLAND COUNCIL BEST PACIFIC FEMALE ARTIST  Signature Choir is a Pacific choir based in Wellington, known for delivering powerful, culturally grounded performances that bring Pacific songs to life in a distinctive and transformative way. In a space where choirs are rarely seen as mainstream or commercially successful, Signature Choir is redefining what’s possible, building a large, engaged audience through bold, high-quality live experiences, impactful music, complemented by a strong and expanding digital presence that continues to extend their reach across Aotearoa as well as globally.
Their groundbreaking Mana Moana show saw five sold-out performances in 2025, including two sold-out shows at the iconic Sydney Opera House, making them the first Pacific Island group to headline and sell out the venue twice. In 2025 alone, Signature Choir sold over 20,000 tickets across their live performances, connecting with audiences at a scale and intensity seldom seen for a choir. They continue to build global recognition for Pacific music, particularly in spaces where Pacific voices are rarely heard. Nominated for: Reach the Sky EP Finalist for: 531pi BEST PACIFIC GOSPEL ARTIST FLAVA BEST PACIFIC GROUP  Shepherds Reign is the premier Samoan heavy metal band making waves on the international music scene.
Established in 2013, they have garnered acclaim for their unique fusion of metal and traditional Pacific sounds. Alongside the nomination for the prestigious Taite Music Award, Shepherds Reign has received multiple Pacific Music Awards, including leading nominations at last year's ceremony. Their powerful performances and captivating lyrics pay homage to their cultural heritage while addressing contemporary issues, establishing them as a unique voice for the Pacific diaspora. With a dedicated fan base that spans across continents, Shepherds Reign has performed at prominent festivals and venues across the Tasman, Samoa and as far a field as Norway in Europe. Their music has gained millions of streams on various platforms, showcasing their ability to transcend geographical and cultural boundaries, amplifying their message and connecting them with the diverse experiences of the Samoan diaspora. Whether unleashing the raw, guttural tribal roar of ‘Aiga’ or the biker-rough riffery which is ‘Ua Masa'a’, there is a special passion and power in every single note these men share with the world, a rare presence which demands the world stage. They are, Shepherds Reign. Nominated for: ‘Samoa Mo Samoa’ Finalist for: NZ ON AIR BEST PACIFIC MUSIC VIDEO  Shane Walker, an award-winning artist from Aotearoa, has rapidly ascended in the music industry with his unique fusion of melodic rhythms and Cook Island influences. Born and raised in Otara, South Auckland, Shane's passion for music was nurtured within his musically driven family, enriched by strong Kuki ties.
In November 2024, Shane released his single ""COASTY GIRL,"" which has already surpassed Three million streams and has now gone platinum globally. Adding to this groundbreaking success, his latest music video, ""WAIMA GIRL,"" garnered 110,000 streams within just eight minutes of its release and has gone gold. Shane's dedication and hard work were recognised at the 2024 Pacific Music Awards, where he received the People's Choice Award for Best Pacific Artist. In 2025 he took out the most music awards again by taking home three which were Best pacific artist, best song and the peoples choice for the second time in a row. Drawing from his life experiences and love of music, Shane continues to create masterpieces that resonate with audiences both locally and international. Nominated for: ‘Mama’, ‘Waima Girl’, ‘Whakapara Girl’ Finalist for: BEST PACIFIC ROOTS/REGGAE ARTIST |
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