A Bit About Me

Kia ora, I’m Nikau Grace, a 17-year-old singer-songwriter from Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Te Arawa, proudly raised in the small but mighty community of Kawerau. Waiata has always been how I express who I am, where I come from, and the kaupapa I carry. As a young wāhine Māori, my identity, my reo, and my whakapapa are at the heart of everything I create.

I am currently studying Te Tohu Paetahi, a full immersion te reo Māori diploma at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato. I chose this journey to strengthen my reo, not only for my songwriting but to walk confidently in who I am as a Māori artist. For me, learning and reclaiming te reo is an act of mana, of creative expression, and of cultural responsibility.

In 2023, I released my debut single Tōku Tuakiri, produced by Nic Manders. The waiata reached number 7 on the Hot NZ Singles chart and explored themes of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance. With support from Waiata Takitahi funding through NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho, the Waiata Anthems team supported the kaupapa with a lyric video, marketing, and a short documentary sharing my reo journey and the meaning behind the song.

In 2024, I was selected for the Waiata Anthems Taumata programme and worked alongside other Māori artists to write Rapua te mea Ngaro, with Hana Mereraiha and Nic Manders. This waiata became a love song to my tūrangawaewae, Kawerau. It is about the inner flame we each hold and the strength it takes to keep it burning when others try to dim it. It reached number 2 on the Hot 20 Aotearoa Singles chart and held its place in the Top 10 Te Reo Māori Singles for seven weeks.

He Aha Te Aha, produced by Kings and featuring kapa haka from Ngāti Whakaue, was released for ANZAC Day this year. This waiata honours the legacy of the 28th Māori Battalion and calls on our generation to continue the hīkoi they began. It is a waiata of remembrance, mana, and challenge.

Also during our Taumata songwriting wānanga, I co-wrote AIO alongside Mohi, Henare Kaa, and Pipi Campbell (Corella). The waiata, featuring Dillastrate, has just been released. AIO speaks to peace, stillness, and kotahitanga, and brings together strong voices and shared kaupapa from a new generation of Māori artists.

Through each waiata, I remain grounded in what matters most to me — uplifting our reo, celebrating our stories, and reminding rangatahi in Aotearoa and around the world that they can be anything they choose. My goal is to remain grounded in my whakapapa, connected to my kaupapa, and true to my voice as both a creator and a young wāhine Māori.

This is only the beginning. Āku waiata, aku moemoeā, kei te haere tonu.