Moana Leota

Last updated
Moana Leota
Moana Leota aka Mozie.jpg
Background information
Also known asMOZIE
BornFebruary 7th, 1999
Wairarapa, New Zealand
GenresSoul, RnB
Occupation(s)Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Artist, Vocalist

Moana Leota aka MOZIE (born February 7, 1999) is a singer-songwriter, actor and vocalist of Samoan and New Zealand European descent based in Wellington, New Zealand. [1] Leota has been performing in New Zealand's commercial, arts and music industries from a young age. [1] [2] She was the voice of the Interislander ad (2013) for a decade and has been an active soloist for community and national events as well as a backing vocalist for national and international touring artists. [3] As an actor, Leota toured internationally to the US and Mexico with Le Moana Productions as the lead in Fatu Na Toto and as a vocalist (2014, 2016, 2018). She recently toured New Zealand, UK and US with Bret McKenzie as a backing vocalist for his most recent album. [4]

Contents

Under her stage name MOZIE, Leota released her debut single Not Done Loving (2022), [1] [5] and was praised for her original Soul / RnB sound. [2] [6] [5] Leota received funding for a second single through NZ On Air's Pasifika Music Single funding grants. [7]

Early life

Born in Wellington in 1999, Leota grew up in a family of strong singers in the Wairarapa. [1] [8] [2] Her father is Samoan and her mother, an artist, is New Zealand European. [7] [2] Her early musical influences were Lauryn Hill, The Fugees, Sinead O'Connor, and her own mother and aunts. [2]

Leota was a returning solo act for the Sarah Lilli Family Concert (2010, 2012.) [9] [10] She was also a returning soloist for the annual Christmas Carols show held at the Government House (2014, 2015.) [3] [11] Her first professional work was as the voice of the Interislander ad (2013) which ran for 10 years. Leota recorded the jingle when she was 11. [3] [12] She went onto lend her voice to Tip Top Real New Zealand Summer Commercial (2013) that same year. [3] [8] [6] [1]

Moana Takes Flight (2014) [3] was a fundraising concert initiated by 13-year-old Leota to raise money to visit her grandparents in Malawi with the plan of giving out 10 ukuleles to local children and teaching them to play. [13] [14] The concert featured Leota, Little Bushman, Warren Maxwell and Wellington International Ukulele Orchestras Steve Jessup. [13] Leota herself learned to play the ukulele by watching YouTube on the family computer and joining her community ukulele group, with a majority of elderly attendees, at the age of 10. [7] In the end, she took 30 ukuleles to Malawi and gave them out to the village children of the Nyika Plateau. [7]

Fatu Na Toto (2014) [3] [15] [16] was Leota's first live theatre role in which she was the lead. [13] The live theatre show was a Le Moana Production directed by Tupe Lualua. [17] [18] The show was first performed at the Wellington Fringe Festival. [17] [3] Leota would go on to work for Le Moana Productions throughout her youth as an actor, vocalist and team member going on tour nationally and internationally. [7] Leota and Le Moana took Fatu Na Toto to the Tempo Dance Festival (2016), Sandiego Fringe Festival (2018) and throughout the US and Mexico (2018). [17] [3]

Education

Leota moved back to Wellington, New Zealand to study commercial music at Massey University (2018), where she met and started writing music with her long-time collaborator, Hunter Paranihi. [7] [2] [1] After a year studying commercial music both Leota and Paranihi decided that a change of course was needed to explore their artistry in depth. [7] Both found courses at Te Auaha in 2019, Leota began her study into the Musical Theatre course and Parahini went into the Music course. [7] There she gained a diploma in Performing Arts and in her further studies gained a Bachelor in Creativity (2020.) [3] While at Te Auaha Leota and Paranihi continued to write and collaborate together producing work Leota is very proud, including work on her debut single Not Done Loving (2022.). [7] [1] Moreover, during her time at Te Auaha Leota acted in two productions. She played Pepper Walker in Cry Baby (2019) [19] and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar (2020). [3] [20] [21]

Leota's show Poets Before Me [22] [23] was created for her 3rd year Body of Work which was her final and largest assignment at university. [7] The show celebrated the poetry of highly acclaimed songs like Hallelujah, A Deal with God by Kate Bush, River by Joni Mitchell as well as some of Leota's original work. [22] Through this Leota explores how selected artists and their poetry have influenced her life and her artistic practice as a singer-songwriter. [22] Her band for the show consisted of Leonardo Coghini on Keys, Seth Boy on Double Bass, Sam Mackenzie on Drums and Emily Paterson on Cello. [23]

Career

Leota was a backing vocalist for Ella Monnery's concert, Powerhouse (2019) [24] [3] and was the solo vocalist for New Zealand's Chinese New Year Festival (2019), [3] Otago Tour for Samoan Language week (2019) [3] as well as the opening ceremony for the Wellington International Pride Festival (2020). [3]

Leota accompanied Louis Baker on his national tour as a backing vocalist for his EP Love Levitates (2021). [25] They performed at the Hollywood Theatre in Auckland, Theatre Royal in Nelson, James Hay Theatre in Christchurch and Opera House in Wellington. [26] Leota was connected with Louis Baker through another New Zealand vocalist Lisa Thomlins, she needed cover for a gig with him and approached Leota for the role. [7] One of the performance's Leota did with Louis Baker was on RNZ. [7] At the time Bret McKenzie was searching for a backing vocalist for his upcoming international solo tour, his wife had watched Baker's RNZ performance, seen Leota and recommended her to Mckenzie who then reached out to her. [7] [1]

Leota accompanied Bret McKenzie of the Flight of the Conchords on his international tour providing backing vocals for his latest solo album Songs without Jokes (2022.) [1] [27] [4] The tour was 3 months long and spanned 46 different locations over New Zealand, UK and US. She also recorded backing vocals for the album. [1]

Under her stage name MOZIE, Leota released her debut single Not Done Loving (2022). [1] [5] Her original Soul / RnB sound was well received and released onto New Zealand's top radio stations. [2] [6] [5] The single was written alongside her long-time collaborator Hunter Paranihi and is a song about 'the one that got away.' [7] [1] Paranihi also produced the single. [1] [6] Her band for the single consisted of: James Illinworth on keys, Johnny Lawrence and Bass, Hunter Parahini on Guitar and Ato Baido on drums and percussion. The single was mastered by Mike Gibson and Munki Music. [1] Throughout the process she was guided and mentored by Kirsten Te Riho as well as Kate Orgias. The music video Not Done Loving was fillmed in Waiorongomai, South Wairarapa. [2] It was self-directed by Leota with a crew of family and friends. [6]

Leota's influences for her music include Cleo Soul, Lauryn Hill, Joy Crookes, Inflo, and James Blake, among others. [7]

Personal life

Leota welcomed her first-born son with her partner Brett Taefu who is an actor and artist, in early 2023. The two met at a Barbershop workshop while in high school. [7]

Notable works

Discography
ReleasedTitleCollaborators
2022Not Done Loving [5] Prod. & co-written by Hunter Paranihi [6]
Vocalist & Soloist Work
YearRoleProductionProduction Company / Director
2014SoloistMoana Takes Flight [13] [28] Solo Concert with Guests
2014SoloistGovernment HouseChristmas Carols [9]
2015SoloistGovernment HouseChristmas Carols [10]
2018Vocalist Measina Festival Eighteen [3]
2018Solo VocalistWorld Beats Centre Le Moana Productions US & Mexico Tour [3]
2019Solo VocalistOpening CeremonyChinese New Year Festival [3]
2019Solo VocalistOtago TourSamoan Language Week [3]
2019VocalistPowerhouseWITCH [3] [29] [24]
2020Solo VocalistOpening CeremonyWellington International Pride Parade [3]
2021Vocalist Louis Baker Love Levitates TourNational Tour for Louis Baker Love Levitates EP [25] [26]
2022Vocalist Bret Mckenzie Songs without Jokes TourBret Mckenzie NZ, UK and USA Tour for his album Songs without Jokes [4] [27]
Theatre
YearRoleProductionProduction Company / Director
2014LeadFatu Na Toto for Wellington Fringe Festival [17] [16] [15] Le Moana Productions
2016RizzoGrease [3] Rongotai College
2016Lead Tempo Dance Festival [30] Le Moana Productions
2018Lead Sandiego International Fringe Festival [31] [32] [33] Le Moana Productions
2019Pepper Walker Cry Baby [19] [34] Te Auaha
2019Captain FantasticHeroes and Villains [35] Orchestra Wellington [36]
2020Judas Jesus Christ Superstar [3] [20] [21] Te Auaha
Commercial
YearRoleProductionProduction Company / Director
2013Lead Vocalist Interislander [12] [37] [3] Colenso BBDO
2013Vocalist Tip Top Ice Cream [1] [3] Colenso BBDO
2021Various Female CharactersTick for Governance [3] VOOTN Voice & Video

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Awatere Huata</span> New Zealand politician

Donna Lynn Awatere Huata is a former member of the New Zealand Parliament for the ACT New Zealand Party and activist for Māori causes.

Moana Maree Maniapoto is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and documentary maker. Widely considered one of New Zealand's most successful indigenous acts, her music is described as a fusion of traditional Māori haka, chants and taonga puoro, with contemporary soul, reggae and classical styles. Moana was briefly married to New Zealand politician and radio personality Willie Jackson, during which time she was known as Moana Maniapoto-Jackson; they divorced in 2001. In 2016, Moana was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame.

The Billy T Award is a New Zealand comedy award recognising up-and-coming New Zealand comedians with outstanding potential. It has been presented annually since its inception in 1997 when Cal Wilson and Ewen Gilmour shared the award. The Billy T was shared between two comedians until 2001 when it became a solo award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stop Loving You</span> 1988 single by Toto

"Stop Loving You" is a song from the rock band Toto from their album The Seventh One. It was released as the first single from the album in Europe, peaking at No. 2 in The Netherlands and Belgium. Jon Anderson is featured on backing vocals.

<i>On the Conditions and Possibilities of Helen Clark Taking Me as Her Young Lover</i> Satirical 2005 book, adapted to play by Arthur Meek and Geoff Pinfield

On the Conditions and Possibilities of Helen Clark Taking Me as Her Young Lover is a satirical book, published in 2005 with a new edition released in 2008, by the pseudonymous author Richard Meros, and an adapted play of the same name written by Arthur Meek and Geoff Pinfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra</span> New Zealand musical group

The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra is an ensemble of ukulele players based in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from a double bass the band is composed entirely of ukuleles. Their repertoire consists mainly of covers of modern popular music and some ukulele and New Zealand standards. Costumes and comic banter are also part of the WIUO appeal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Rodger</span> New Zealand playwright

Victor John Rodger is a New Zealand journalist, actor and award-winning playwright of Samoan and Pākehā heritage. Rodger's play Sons won acclaim at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards (1998) and received the Best New Writer and Most Outstanding New New Zealand Play awards. In 2001, he won the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award. Other plays include Ranterstantrum (2002) and My Name is Gary Cooper (2007), produced and staged by Auckland Theatre Company and starred a Samoan cast including Robbie Magasiva, Anapela Polataivao, Goretti Chadwick and Kiwi actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand.

Katie Wolfe is an actor, film and stage director from New Zealand. She appeared in television series including Marlin Bay (1990s), Shortland Street, and Mercy Peak. Her screen directing work has won awards, including Redemption at the ImagineNative Film + Media Arts Festival and This Is Her at the Prague International Short Film Festival. Wolfe wrote and directed a stage play, The Haka Party Incident that was presented in 2023 in New Zealand.

The Fred Award is the highest honour at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, awarded to the best show written and performed by a New Zealand comedian.

Nigel Collins is a New Zealand musician, actor and playwright. A long time collaborator of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords, he appears in their live shows as a string section of one, 'The New Zealand Sympathy Orchestra' playing cello, and also bass, keyboards, percussion, drums and singing backing vocals. He's featured in tours of North America, the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand from 2001 to 2018. Collins graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School in 1999 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting).

Shona Margaret McCullagh is a New Zealand choreographer, dancer, filmmaker and artistic director. McCullagh was the founding director of the New Zealand Dance Company and was appointed artistic director of the Auckland Festival in 2019.

Elisabeth Easther is a New Zealand actor, broadcaster, journalist and playwright. She played Carla Crozier on New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street from May 1995 to July 1996, and has since had a varied career in television, radio, journalism and playwriting. Her play Seed won the Adam NZ Play Award for Best Play in 2014.

The Ngā Whakarākei O Whātaitai /WellingtonTheatre Awards are the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington established in 2015 after the previous awards sponsor ended their support. They are awarded annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kia Mau Festival</span> Performing arts festival in New Zealand

The Kia Mau Festival, previously called Ahi Kaa Festival, is a biennial performing arts festival in Wellington, New Zealand. In te reo Māori, kia mau is "a call to stay - an invitation to join us".

Catherine Patricia Downes is a New Zealand theatre director, actor, dramaturg and playwright. Of Māori descent, she affiliates to Ngāi Tahu. Downes wrote a one-woman play The Case of Katherine Mansfield, which she has performed more than 1000 times in six countries over twenty years. She has been the artistic director of the Court Theatre in Christchurch and the director of Downstage Theatre in Wellington. She lives on Waiheke Island and works as a freelance actor, director and playwright.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanea Heke</span> New Zealand actor, producer and director

Tanea Jane Heke is an actor, director and producer of theatre in New Zealand. In 2019 she was appointed as Tumuaki/Director of Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School.

Tupe Lualua is a New Zealand-Samoan choreographer, director, founder of the dance company Le Moana. She is also the current artistic director and producer for the Measina Festival, and award winning choreographer Tupua Tigafua. In 2019 Lualua was the Creative New Zealand Samoa Artist in Residence.

Tempo Dance Festival is an annual pan-genre professional dance festival held in Auckland, New Zealand and is the 'longest standing annual dance event' of New Zealand, founded in 2003.

Ariana Rahera Tikao is a New Zealand singer, musician and author. Her works explore her identity as a Kāi Tahu woman and her music often utilises taonga pūoro. Notably, she co-composed the first concerto for taonga pūoro in 2015. She has released three solo albums and collaborated with a number of other musicians. She was a recipient of an Arts Foundation Laureate Award in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanaki Prescott-Faletau</span> Tongan-New Zealand performer and director

Amanaki Lelei Prescott-Faletau is an actor, writer, dancer, choreographer, producer and director of Tongan descent, living in New Zealand. As a playwright, she became the first fakaleitī to have her work published in New Zealand with Inky Pinky Ponky. This play was awarded Best Teenage Script (2015) by New Zealand Playmarket. As an actor, she was awarded best performance at the 2015 Auckland Fringe Festival for Victor Rodger's Girl on the Corner. Her acting credits include The Breaker Upperers (2018), SIS (2020), The Panthers (2021), The Pact (2021) and Sui Generis (2022), in which she is also a writer for the TV series. Faletau competed as a dancer in the World Hip Hop Dance Championships in 2011 and has been a judge at the National Hip Hop Championships in New Zealand over several years.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Feature – NewTracks New Artist: Mozie". NZ Musician. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Team, Waatea (2022-06-22). "Moana Leota / Musician". Waatea News: Māori Radio Station. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Moana Leota". GCM. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  4. 1 2 3 "NZ Live – Bret McKenzie". RNZ. 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 MOZIE – Not Done Loving , retrieved 2023-07-14
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "MOZIE – Not Done Loving — thecoconet.tv – The world's largest hub of Pacific Island content.uu". www.thecoconet.tv. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Interview with Moana Leota, 2023
  8. 1 2 "Soulful singer Mozie releases debut single 'Not Done Loving'". www.muzic.net.nz. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  9. 1 2 Moana Leota – Sarah Lilli Family Concert 2010 , retrieved 2023-07-14
  10. 1 2 Moana Leota – Sarah Lilli Family Concert 2012 , retrieved 2023-07-14
  11. ↑ "New home for Newtown Carols". Stuff. 2012-11-18. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  12. 1 2 Interislander holiday , retrieved 2023-07-14
  13. 1 2 3 4 HUNT, TOM (2013-02-26). "Concert planned for Malawi". Stuff. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  14. ↑ "Good deed CD – New Zealand News". NZ Herald. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  15. 1 2 "Fatu Na Totō by Le Moana | "...Fatu na totō is a dedication to our parents who migrated in search of the dream..." T Lualua (Writer/Director) For tickets:... | By Le Moana | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  16. 1 2 Le Moana – Fatu Na Totō excerpts at Pātaka , retrieved 2023-07-14
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Fatu Na Toto – Planted Seeds". Theatreview. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  18. ↑ "Fatu na Toto: Planted Seeds, a Samoan Immigrant Story | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  19. 1 2 "Cry-Baby – The Musical – Reviewed by Madelaine Empson | Regional News Connecting Wellington". www.regionalnews.kiwi. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  20. 1 2 "JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR". Theatreview. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  21. 1 2 Rusling, Lindsey. "Review: JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR at Te Auaha". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  22. 1 2 3 "Late Nite Lit: Moana Leota and her band – Poets Before Me". Eventfinda. 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  23. 1 2 "*SOLD OUT* Poets Before Me, Bedlam & Squalor, Wellington, 30 March 2023". stayhappening.com. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  24. 1 2 "Powerhouse – Hannah Playhouse, Wellington". UnderTheRadarNZ. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  25. 1 2 "LOUIS BAKER 'LOVE LEVITATES' EP OUT TODAY". MMF AOTEAROA. 2021-06-18. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  26. 1 2 "Louis Baker Drops 'Love Levitates' EP". UnderTheRadarNZ. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  27. 1 2 "Moana Leota, Kat Little, Ben Lemi, Bret McKenzie, Jacqui Nyman,..." Getty Images. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  28. ↑ Moana Leota sings Sia's 'My Love' at Moana Takes Flight concert , retrieved 2024-02-21
  29. ↑ "Ella Monnery's POWERHOUSE". WITCH Music Theatre. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  30. ↑ "Footnote Dance Made in New Zealand 2013". Theatreview. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  31. ↑ "San Diego Fringe 2018 Wraps Up With Awards Show". KPBS Public Media. 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  32. ↑ "Unpredictable Fringe Events – San Diego Story". sandiegostory.com. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  33. ↑ "Pacific dance moves to contemporary". NZ Herald. 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  34. ↑ "CRY-BABY The Musical". Theatreview. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  35. ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
  36. ↑ "Orchestra Wellington x Signature Choir Don't stop me now – Queen Soloists – Moana Leota, Myikah Asovale, Matt Molluhand & Lisa Tomlins Another one we... | By Signature Choir Wellington | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  37. ↑ "Good deed CD - New Zealand News". NZ Herald. 2024-02-21. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.