Island Roots, Auckland Ways

This week’s guest is Tongan entertainer Diamond Langi.

Several years after featuring on Konecs’ smash hit ‘Lose My Mind’, she’s dropped her debut single. ‘Keep You Here’ is a love letter to her late father, who taught his daughter everything about music. Singing isn’t the only string to her bow - she acts, models and advocates fiercely for the culture.

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This week’s guests are pop-punk band MAYJUN.

In their early 20s, Jeremiah Fale, Elijah McPherson & Tivoli Levi have their sights set on storied music careers. The idea that Pacific peoples can make music other than reggae is still relatively uncharted, but the usos have risen to online acclaim. MAYJUN are deep into the making of their music with more of it to drop soon. 

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This week’s guest is Samoan-Swedish broadcaster So’omalo Iteni Schwalger.

After serving as the night host on Niu FM, he jumped ship to RNZ where he is now the host of The TAHI. Recently, he was made a finalist for the NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism Award at the Taite Music Prize. So’o shares how dropping out of school set the trajectory for his successful career.

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This week's guest is Samoan photographer Geoffery Matautia a.k.a. Southsides.

His candid, community-centric style of portrait photography has landed him in major publications and brand campaigns. But this now fully fledged career was only a hobby once. Geoffery is always capturing others' stories, so we want to know - who is he, how has he gotten here and what keeps him going?

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This week’s guest is Samoan photographer Geoffery Matautia a.k.a. Southsides.

His candid, community-centric style of portrait photography has landed him in major publications and brand campaigns. But this now fully fledged career was only a hobby once. Geoffery is always capturing others’ stories, so we want to know - who is he, how has he gotten here and what keeps him going?

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s guest is Māori comedian Kura Turuwhenua.

She doesn’t have to try to be funny, she just is. Kura’s mind is wonderfully abstract, allowing her to channel the lived and imaginative through her craft. Our mate shares how stand-up led her to recently sketch writing for Only In Aotearoa alongside an all wāhine team. Plus, she settles for us: hāngi or boil up?

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This week’s guest is Samoan teacher and influencer Samantha Richards.

With nearly 50 thousand TikTok followers, the classroom wizz shares what it’s like to work at school. The daughter of a Palagi dad and Samoan mum, Samantha herself is learning, about her Island roots. This involves a malaga to the motherland later this year honouring her late grandmother.

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In our biggest episode to-date, we interview Tongan singer Dinah Jane.

After selling tens of millions of records with Fifth Harmony, she’s now a commanding voice in the Polynesian music space. Dinah’s latest single ‘Road Less Travelled’ speaks to the lane of the industry which she says many expected her to take after being part of a girl group. She has been “crying for” this moment in her career. Mālō e ngāue lahi, Dinah Jane.

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This week’s guest is Samoan-Tongan entrepreneur Noeleen Tuala.

A simple desire to kit out her grandchildren with Pacific printed manchester turned into the business, PELE Baby. It’s a one stop shop for Nesian playmats, blankets and more. Despite some challenges on her journey, Noeleen encourages our inherently entrepreneurial peoples to unite so we can all eat.

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This week’s guest is Samoan actor Theo Dāvid.

From Manurewa to Ferndale, he plays Viliami To’a on iconic New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. As passionate thespians, Allyssa and the bro indulge on how hard it can be to be acting as someone else. Theo is a man who wants everyone to eat and says unfortunately that ain’t how it works in the industry.

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