AUCKLAND, New Zealand, on 15 October, 2026—Is there a possibility that one can compose a song in its original language and that song can win any of the prestigious awards in New Zealand for songwriting? The New Zealand band called LEAO, which specializes in the Pacific neo-psychedelia genre of music, has shown it is indeed possible with its song called LALELEI, which has made history in being the first song to ever win the APRA Silver Scroll Award.
The announcement was made on October 14, 2026, on the occasion of the 61st APRA Silver Scroll Awards function, which took place in Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre at Aotea Centre in Auckland. The event also marked the 100th anniversary of APRA, which is responsible for the work carried out by local songwriters and music composers.
A love letter addressed to the family and homeland
LALELEI, which stands for “beautiful” in Samoan, is not just a simple romantic song but an homage to aiga ma atunu’u—the family and homeland. This piece of music looks at the emotional aspects of distance, yearning for something far, commitment, and deep loyalty to the way of life of the Samoan people, known as fa’asamoa.
LALELEI has been written by David Feauai-Afaese, Navakatoa Tekela-Pule, Levi Gemmell, and Larsen Taylor, and it contains the characteristic features of traditional Samoan garage music combined with contemporary music technologies. The fusion of classic traditions and modern technologies has contributed to the uniqueness of LEAO.
This victory has a special meaning for the group, as LALELEI is the first Silver Scroll nomination for them. This achievement proves that the music written in the original language and within a highly specific cultural context can be accepted and recognized by a national music industry.
From Pacific origins to international audiences
The credits of LEAO do not stop at receiving awards; the band’s songs were included in the film Next Goal Wins by Taika Waititi, and they also performed as the opening act for the band Tinariwen from the Sahara. Over the years, LEAO appeared on the global radio station’s network NTS Radio and on the official New Zealand music charts and achieved the Gold Rotation on the student radio 95bFM in Auckland.
The connection of the band with the broader Pacific music community is represented by Noa Records, the record company that David Feauai-Afaese, Navakatoa Tekela-Pule, and Lars Taylor established.
During the award ceremony, the song LALELEI, performed by A.R.T., a vocal trio from Wellington (Hannah Elise, Loise Vea, Marcella Adisurya, and Ruby Walsh), was played, while the fact that the musician Neil Finn presented the Silver Scroll to the authors of the song was spotlighted.
A landmark ahead of the award
LEAO’s rise to prominence serves as a convincing proof that safeguarding cultural identity can go hand in hand with musical innovation. By incorporating Samoan language and music from the Pacific into a modern sound, the band has reached a landmark that goes beyond just their own career.
On the date of October 14, 2026, LALELEI celebrated not just the triumph of receiving an award, but also of achieving a truly remarkable feat in the history of Samoan language music in one of the place’s leading music platforms in New Zealand.
