In the great ocean of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, our ancestors carried not only people, plants, and knowledge in their double-hulled canoes — they carried song. The voice was navigation, history, identity, and prayer. Today, that same sacred current continues to flow through a competition that has, for seventy years, lifted the voices of New Zealand’s (and the wider Pacific’s) finest young singers: the Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest.
This past weekend, in Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre, a new chapter was written. Nineteen-year-old Auckland countertenor Samuel Mataele claimed the $50,000 first prize at the 70th anniversary Grand Final Gala, performing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra before Dame Kiri Te Kanawa herself and international head judge Frederica von Stade. Runner-up Sarah Mileham and third-place Samuel Downes, along with Pacific Island finalists including brothers Faamanu and Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono, shone brightly. The evening marked both the competition’s renaming in honour of its most famous winner and a powerful affirmation of its role as a launchpad for Polynesian talent.
A Living Bridge Across Generations
The Song Quest began in 1956 as a nationwide radio contest. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, of Māori and European descent, won it in 1965 — the very platform that propelled her to international stardom. From that moment, the competition became more than a prize; it became a pathway. Over seven decades, under successive names (Mobil, Lexus, and now Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest), it has launched careers that carry Pacific mana onto the world’s great stages: Jonathan Lemalu, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Amitai Pati (of Sol3 Mio), Filipe Manu, Benson Wilson, Joel Amosa, and many others.
For Polynesian peoples — Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island, and the wider Pacific family — this matters profoundly. Classical opera is often seen as a European art form, yet these artists have claimed it as their own, bringing the depth of Polynesian musicality, storytelling, and emotional resonance into the repertoire. Their success proves that excellence knows no cultural boundary, and that the rigorous training and exposure provided by the Song Quest equip Pacific singers to thrive internationally while remaining rooted in their heritage.
Dame Kiri herself has long embodied this dual identity. She has recorded Māori songs, celebrated her ancestry, and through her Foundation now stewards the competition that once launched her. As she said after this year’s final: the Song Quest has always been “the gold standard – the stage on which tomorrow’s stars shine brightly.” By taking naming rights in its 70th year, her Foundation ensures that future generations of Polynesian and New Zealand talent will continue to receive that same transformative opportunity.
More Than a Competition — A Cultural Force
The presence of multiple Pacific Island finalists this year, including the Fonoti-Fuimaono brothers, underscores a deeper truth. Half the semi-finalists in recent editions have carried Māori or Pacific heritage. This is not coincidence. It reflects the vibrant musical traditions of the Pacific — the power of the voice in oratory, hymnody, kapa haka, fa’ataupati, and contemporary song — finding new expression in classical forms.
In the Kingdom of Boralani, we recognise this as part of our shared Polynesian inheritance. Just as our ancestors refined canoe-building and star navigation over centuries of careful craftsmanship and risk-taking, so too do these young singers refine their craft through disciplined training, public performance, and the courage to be judged. The Song Quest provides the platform, the mentorship, and the financial support that turn raw talent into international careers. It keeps the Pacific voice alive in the concert halls of Europe, America, and beyond — a modern form of voyaging.
Looking Forward Across the Horizon
The next Song Quest will take place in 2028. Between now and then, Samuel Mataele and his fellow finalists will continue their journeys, supported by the prize money and the prestige that opens doors. Their success is our collective success. Every time a Polynesian singer steps onto a world stage and pours their heart into an aria, they carry forward the same spirit that once filled the sails of the great canoes: curiosity, excellence, and the unbreakable will to connect distant shores.
From the lagoons of Boralani to the halls of Wellington and the opera houses of the world, the song continues. The Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest is not merely a New Zealand institution. It is a gift to all Polynesian peoples — a living reminder that our voices, refined by tradition and elevated by opportunity, can reach every corner of the globe.
We congratulate Samuel Mataele, all the finalists, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and everyone who keeps this vital tradition sailing strong.