Seth Haapu is a modern-classic image of South Pacific identity who writes, produces, and sings with a velvet voice, reminiscent of R&B intimacy. Yet, he has hardly pursued his career with force. For the last five years, Seth has worked quietly behind the scenes; writing and producing music for many of New Zealand’s well-known artists, all the while forming a ripple effect of anticipation for his own art. As a collaborator, he conserves a self-effacing presence, producing under the name Kēhua, translated as ghost (writer) in his native tongue.

In 2016 Seth released Volume I; his second EP followed in 2017. By virtue of his nature, both works were an exercise in discovery, revealing histories around his Polynesian heritage. Haapu, meaning refuge, is a village originally built over water on the island of Huahine, Tahiti; the home of his bloodlines before their passage to New Zealand. Despite minimal exposure, both volumes went to #1 on iTunes NZ Singer-songwriter chart, with nominations for New Zealand’s prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award, worldwide performance invitations and support slots for James Blunt and John Legend.

Beyond the Pacific, he discovered international contemporaries like Solange, Sampha and Daniel Caesar – all of whom found inspiration in their own unique cultural origins.

Today, Seth is combining origins from New Zealand and Tahiti and delivering an experience in and around water like the islands he comes from. His latest offering, ‘All For You’, is led by voice, piano, ocean field recordings and Polynesian percussion including Pahu – the heartbeat of the South Pacific. His pacific style of relaxed silhouettes and natural elements, fosters a low-key vibe that alternative R&B calls for. Seth Haapu describes a new wave of South Pacific artistry and he rides on the crest of this wave.