Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi,, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Porou, Haapu-Huahine

Seth Haapu doesn’t chase the spotlight; he shapes the sound behind it. The musician, producer, and psychologist is a quiet force across Aotearoa, writing, producing, and performing for Stan Walker, Maisey Rika, TEEKS, Rob Ruha, and Sons of Zion while clocking over 50 million streams in the process.

His approach is refreshingly grounded. Whether he’s producing chart-toppers or diving deep into his doctoral research on how waiata heals rangatahi Māori, Haapu moves with the same steady focus. His work spans everything from award-winning film soundtracks like Poi: Hopes & Dreams to his acclaimed album Whai Ora: a ten-track exploration of healing and whakapapa that earned props from Rolling Stone and became NZ Herald’s “album of the summer.”

Whai Ora, co-produced with Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Kody Nielson, perfectly captures Haapu’s sweet spot. Born from a transformative trip to Tahiti, the record blends Polynesian falsetto with R&B grooves, creating what he simply calls “an affirmation of life.” It’s music that works on multiple levels: personal, cultural, and therapeutic.

That therapeutic angle isn’t just metaphorical. Haapu’s current doctoral research, Te Oro Oranga, examines waiata as a healing practice for rangatahi Māori. It’s work that flows naturally from his years of mentorship through programs like Pao Pao Pao, NZ Music Commission’s Music in Schools, Tangata Beats, and Smokefreerockquest. He’s not just making music; he’s nurturing the next wave of artists while exploring how traditional knowledge can inform modern healing.

The accolades speak for themselves: 2018’s Waiata Māori Music Award for Best Māori Songwriter, 2021’s APRA Maioha Award, and most recently, 2024’s Best Hip Hop & RnB Album by a Māori Artist at the Waiata Māori Music Awards. But Haapu operates from a place of collective strength, often referencing the whakataukī: “Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini” (My strength is not mine alone, but it is the strength of many).

Live, he brings that same understated power. From supporting John Legend to rolling with Crowded House, from WOMAD stages to intimate shows in ancestral Tahiti, Haapu transforms rooms with quiet intensity.

Looking ahead, he’s got new music dropping spring 2025, continuing his exploration of where traditional waiata meets contemporary soul. In a scene full of noise, Seth Haapu remains the calm in the storm: making music that doesn’t just sound good but does good.