A Bit About Me

Kia ora, I’m Nikau Grace, an 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, raised in the vibrant town of Kawerau. Music has always been my way of making sense of the world and expressing who I am. As a young wāhine Māori, my identity is woven into every lyric I write and every note I sing.

This year I did Te Tohu Paetahi, a full immersion diploma in te reo Māori at the University of Waikato. I chose this pathway to strengthen my reo and deepen my connection to te ao Māori, not only to support my songwriting but to fully stand in who I am. Reclaiming and growing my reo is an act of creativity, pride, and belonging.

In 2023, I released my debut single Tōku Tuakiri, produced by Nic Manders. It reached #7 on the Hot NZ Singles chart and marked a defining moment in my journey, exploring themes of whakapapa, identity, and cultural connection. I received Waiata Takitahi funding from NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho to support the release. The Waiata Anthems team then reached out to support the project, helping with the process, marketing and promotion, a lyric video, and a short documentary sharing the story behind the waiata and my reo journey.

In 2024, I was selected to be part of the Taumata programme, working alongside other incredible Māori artists. Through that experience, I wrote Rapua te mea Ngaro with Hana Mereraiha and Nic Manders, a song about searching for strength, clarity, and purpose. It became a love song to my hometown of Kawerau.

“It’s about the flame you have inside you that some people try to snuff out. But it’s your job to keep it burning. It’s a song about defying the odds. I want people to feel a sense of positivity. They have the talent and the passion, and they can do incredible things – no matter where they come from.”

Rapua te mea Ngaro was released in late 2024, reaching #2 on the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles chart and staying in the Top 10 Te Reo Māori Singles for seven consecutive weeks.

My sound blends Soul, R&B and Pop with te reo Māori and honest storytelling. I’m proud to be part of a movement that’s helping to normalise and celebrate te reo through music. But more than that, I want to use my voice to uplift rangatahi in Aotearoa and around the world, and remind them that they can be anything they want to be. Where you come from doesn’t define your future!