It’s been over one year since Live Nation & Vodafone came together to launch the Aotearoa branch of ONES TO WATCH, a monthly programme that helps boost up-and-coming Kiwi musicians and puts them on a global stage. Today, the platform has announced that soulful Wellingtonian Moana Ete, better known as Mo Etc., will be featured as the first artist of 2022.
With formal theatre, dance and acting training (from Aotearoa’s premiere drama school Toi Whakaari) under her belt, singer-songwriter Mo Etc. is no stranger to the local entertainment world. This triple-threat got her start at Kiwi music competition Rockquest, a national high school music competition that has helped discover artists across the country. Moana entered the competition in her last year of high school, coming third overall and giving her the confidence to pursue music as a career.
Moana partially credits her musical abilities to growing up in a Samoan and Māori family. Her Samoan side were big church-goers and participating in the choir helped her understand the basics when it comes to music. “It showed me the basics of you know, how to sing a melody or a harmony, or even how to find a harmony. I really learnt all the basics through there.”
Earlier in 2021, Mo Etc. released her debut album ‘Oceanbed’, which she mixed herself at home on Garageband. The album features the song that Moana claims to represent her most accurately, ‘Stay Awake’: “It’s like love songs that have a bit of a question mark – like ‘’I Love You?” It was like helping me figure it out what love is. Like it doesn’t feel conventional, it doesn’t look like what it is in the movies, it’s just a little bit different.”
Moana has shared the stage in the past, including in supergroup Fly My Pretties, appearing in the song ‘Mud and Stardust’ and touring with the band. She also fronted neo-soul electronic group A Girl Named Mo, who sold out five shows at Wellington’s Bats Theatre and released a live album after the performances.
On Mo Etc. becoming the next ONES TO WATCH artist, Live Nation promoter Mike Ross says: “We’re excited to be launching 2022 with such a promising emerging artist from our capital. Mo Etc.’s sound is soulful and unique, and we are so happy to spotlight her as part of this program”
2022 will see an exciting new slate of Kiwi musicians added to the ONES TO WATCH programmed in Aotearoa. Mo Etc. will join ONONO, Rhys Rich, There’s a Tuesday, Muroki, Daily J, Balu Brigada and more as she joins the programme’s alumni.
Launched in 2017 in the United States, ONES TO WATCH has helped boost the careers of artists now reaching global stages, including Halsey and Grammy-award winning Dua Lipa, who recently announced a global tour, including a New Zealand pit-stop, after a massive two years promoting her number one album, Future Nostalgia.
Joe Goddard, Experience & Commercial Director at Vodafone NZ is excited about Mo Etc.’s appointment into the ONES TO WATCH family: “Vodafone is committed to building a better Aotearoa for our rangatahi, so seeing Mo Etc.’s trajectory from Smokefree Rockquest contestant to ONES TO WATCH artist is stellar. We hope Kiwis across the country are adding her to their summer playlists.
After launching an exclusive long-term partnership in 2019, Live Nation Australasia and Vodafone New Zealand have provided Vodafone customers access to Live Nation’s entertainment portfolio including music, family and comedy tours and festivals across the country. The strategic multi-year partnership is committed to bringing the best live experiences to New Zealand and the best New Zealand artists to the world. The unique emerging talent platform of ONES TO WATCH builds on this strong partnership and a mutual dedication to support grassroots initiatives.
As well as access to the online platform, Vodafone customers will be given the chance to win tickets to the ONES TO WATCH invitation-only quarterly showcase events. More info and competition details available at: vodafonerewards.co.nz