685 to the world: Umu Bourne and Tee49 bring Sāmoan sound to NZ

One of their early songs was recorded next to a bed and a computer desk in Sāmoa. Now, Umu Bourne and Tee49 are taking their sound to stages in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The rising Sāmoan music sensations have arrived in Aotearoa to headline their 685 Summer Series tour, with shows lined up across Auckland and Wellington, and a spot at ASB Polyfest on the Sāmoa stage.

Known for their hits Work Ga Kama and O le Pi Tautau, the duo have built a strong following online, with millions of views and streams despite working with limited resources back home.

For 21-year-old Bourne, the journey is about more than music.

“The reason why I'm taking music, it's just something I love to do to serve our country," he tells PMN Sāmoa. “It’s not even about [being] famous, but something inside my heart I just wanted to achieve.

Bourne recalls walking into what he thought would be a professional studio with music producer JAYZO685, only to find something much simpler.

Watch Umu Bourne and Tee49's full interview below.

“We thought it was going to be a big studio like this,” Bourne says, gesturing to the 531pi studio. ”Then when we went inside, there was Jason's bed and a table and the PC.

“That's why we're pushing ourselves just to achieve what we have.”

From filming music videos on mobile phones to learning how to share and earn from their work online, Bourne and Tee49 want to prove that success is “not about equipment, but the knowledge we use”.

Their breakout tracks have drawn strong attention, with Work Ga Kama reaching more than 1.9 million views on YouTube and O Le Pi Tautau passing 1.3 million.

They have a combined number of nearly 5000 monthly Spotify listeners and over 210,000 streams.

Tee49 says there is "beauty in simplicity” and both artists credit family support as a key part of their journey.

Still, the road has not been easy.

“When it comes to community, it's so hard for us to face the people who hate what we do,” Bourne says. “But all we have to do is just ignore it, just keep on working.”

Bourne says performing in Aotearoa feels surreal. Growing up, he watched music artists on TV and dreamed of one day boarding a plane to perform his own music.

That dream is now real and they are bringing a proud Sāmoan sound with them.

The duo are also set to perform in the 531pi Lunchtime Concert at ASB Polyfest - one of the biggest celebrations of Pacific culture in the region.

The 685 Summer Series continues through to 21 March in Auckland before heading to Wellington on 27 and 28 March.

Tickets, venue, and dates information can be found here.