Music Industry News

Kirikiriroa-based emerging Pasifika island-pop artist Lehali has today released her exciting new single ‘Company’ featuring celebrated Aotearoa artist Lepani!

‘Company’ skilfully incorporates island beats and sounds with a catchy pop-hook. Made with the support of NZ On Air, the vibe is ‘island-pop with a touch of drum and bass’ – making it a song you can both chill to, and also get up and dance, run or let out all your energy to.

“It’s a song about love, community and authentic connection,” explains Lehali. “As young people, we know how tough navigating the difference between love and friendships can be, and this song is about, sometimes, at the end of the day all we want is to be in each other’s ‘Company’.”

A force to be reckoned with, Lehali aka Rosalie Norton could be considered one of Aotearoa’s most passionate rangatahi. At just 19-years-old she already has an impressive list of accomplishments, including being the youngest Ruakura TEDx Speaker at 16, opening for Hollie Smith, performing her original music as a part of the Chengdu International Sister Cities Music Festival in China, releasing an album (and now working on her second!), running a business, being mentored by Troy Kingi through APRA’s mentorship programme, and participating in APRA’s first Moana Songwriting Session at Big Pop Studios in Tāmaki Makaurau – where she teamed up with Fijian-NZ artist Lepani and discovered ‘Company’.

“The whole experience completely shifted my life and the mindset I had towards music,” says Lehali. “Not thinking I could ever meet or work with such talented, well-known creatives. Catching up with Lepani again later in the year, we recorded some of the vocals, and Frank [Keys] worked his magic in the background to get it to the final product we have now.”

Lehali says that working with Frank Keys and Lepani was a ‘collab made in heaven’. “I remember leaving the studio to get some lunch with all the other artists, and when I came back they had recorded and created that whole mean-as DnB drop at the end. From moments like that, I was just constantly so inspired and in awe of how talented everyone was, and taught me so much about music production.”

“Music and song writing has always been my passion, but I don’t think this little island girl from Kirikiriroa ever thought she could work in studios, receive funding or work with the artists that inspire her and have people want to listen to my music! I am so grateful for the people, whānau and networks that have supported me along the way, and now I am just so ready to continue creating, collaborating and finding ways I can make change with my art.”

Don’t delay – press play on Lehali’s new single ‘Company’ featuring Lepani now!

Check out all things Lehali below:
Website
Facebook
Instagram

Lehali is the stage name for 19-year-old Kirikiriroa born and raised, Rosalie Norton. Her nana comes from Ureparapara in Vanuatu and was born in a small village called Lehali, which is the whakapapa behind her artist name as well as her music and creative self. Lehali released her self-produced debut album in GROWING PAINS in 2023 and, shortly after its release, was accepted into APRA’s first Moana Songwriting Sessions, where she worked alongside other Pasifika artists in Aotearoa creating songs like her new release ‘Company’ feat. Lepani and produced by Frank Keys. In that same year she was invited to perform her original music as a part of the Chengdu International Sister Cities Music Festival in China, and released GROWING PAINS: STUDIO VERSION. Now, in 2024, Lehali is working with celebrated Aotearoa artist Troy Kingi through APRA’s Mentorship Programme, and continuing to work on her second album – which is a blend of her two worlds, music and youth advocacy. Rosalie has created a name for herself, performing in local theater since she was 12, and as an opener for the Girls Rock Aotearoa, To The Front Kirikiriroa special, opening for Hollie Smith!

In her other life, Rosalie at 16 became TEDxRuakura’s youngest TEDx Speaker, and since then has gone onto speaking and mcing at events across the motu; growing her award-winning wellbeing business mindbox.nz, which she founded in January 2020; is a member of many boards and committees like Seed Waikato, Waikato Regional Councils youth initiative Rangatahi Voices, University of Waikato WSU (Waikato Student Union) board, Inspiring Stories Youth Advisory Group and MYD and Curative taiohi initiative, The Hive. Outside of her community Rosalie is a second year Waikato University student, works for The Kindness Collective as their Hamilton Coordinator, which supports tamariki and whānau across the motu with the things they need (from everyday essentials to moments of joy) as well as hosting her own podcast called ‘Generation Unapologetically Me’, a place of real and raw youth content from a generation of rangatahi who aren’t afraid to be unapologetically themselves!

Photo credit: Rosalie Norton