Urban. Maori. Smooth.

 

A streetwise urban Maori musician AWA’s honey-sweet vocals first hit the New Zealand airwaves with the multi platinum selling Polynesian super group Nesian Mystik that stormed the NZ charts with a record 12 Top 10 singles (Most in NZ history). This success brought the group numerous awards including Best Urban Group Award (NZ Music Awards), Peoples Choice Award (NZ Music Awards), APRA Silver Scroll Award and MTV's Best Kiwi Act Award Vodafone MTV Australia Awards to name a few.

 

As one of NZ’s premiere songwriters, AWA lends his pop smarts to artists all over the world including Australia, Japan, Hawaii and NZ artists like Dane Rumble that won the APRA award for Most Performed Song for  “Cruel”.

 

A man of many talents, AWA is an award-winning broadcaster with his syndicated radio shows Te Puutake and The Source. He has completed a Professional Masters of Business from the Auckland University.

 

AWA released a bilingual EP Native Intel that reached the NZ top 40 bringing together the indigenous sounds of Maori show bands, Poly funk and urban Pacific music into the future with his smooth blend of R&B, soul and hip hop flavours – Native Soul that won him the prestigious APRA Maioha Silver Scroll and 3 x Maori Music Awards (Best Maori songwriter, Best Male Artist and Best Song “If things were different feat. Maisey Rika”

 

In 2013, AWA rocketed into the New Zealand Top 10 album charts with “Heartbeat”. Jam packed with hits like the duet with Hawaiian pop sensation Anuhea "Perfect Day”, “Home” and “Back in my life” featuring reggae stars House of Shem. AWA has captured the hearts of the Pacific with his signature Native Soul.