‘Finally found my place in the world’

Aotearoa New Zealand's most prestigious songwriting awards ceremony took place last week with a Māori|Pacific artist taking a top spot at the 2024 APRA Silver Scroll Awards | Kaitito Kaiaka.

Jordyn With A Why scored the Maioha Award, which recognises excellence in Māori composition and encourages artists to celebrate te ao Māori through music, for her song He Rei Niho.

Speaking to Pacific Mornings’ William Terite and Levi Matautia-Morgan, Jordyn Rapana says that while her career is still in its early stages, winning feels like she’s “where she’s supposed to be”.

“Kind of since then (2021) is how long I’ve been releasing music for, so it feels so surreal in a lot of ways.

“But also it feels…in these spaces, I feel like I’ve finally found my place in the world. It feels like I’m where I’m supposed to be.

“I’m never gunning for these awards but I’m always very honoured.”

The song was also written by Ruth Smith, Dan Martin, and Kawiti Waetford and released in 2023. A pop-funk track Rapana told NZ Musician is “inspired by Lizzo and Bruno Mars”.

The APRA Maioha award, first presented in 2003 to Ngahiwi Apanui, was created to celebrate distinguished Māori songwriting, and increase awareness of waiata in the language throughout Aotearoa.

Te Ngore, the Maioha sculpture, has been awarded to some of the most renowned songwriters in Aotearoa including Whirimako Black, Ruia Aperahama, Te Awanui Reeder (Nesian Mystik), Maisey Rika, Rob Ruha, Vince Harder, Troy Kingi, Stan Walker, Alien Weaponry, Ria Hall, Tiki Taane, and Te Ori Paki.

Rapana is the guardian of Te Ngore for one year and receives a cash prize of $5000.

She says the Silver Scrolls honours songwriters and their artistry through lyricism.

“The Silver Scrolls in general really celebrate songwriters which I think is really cool because in the world we often celebrate the pop star, the singer, the people performing these songs but not often the people writing them.”

While Superstar and “absolute legend” Stan Walker and popular contemporary artist TAWAZ were also up for the same category, Rapana says they aren’t in competition but are in celebration of te reo instead.

“You know what I love about the Maioha Award is that, in the Māori music space especially, we are each other's biggest fans.

“When we see each other at these spaces, whoever’s winning, at the end of the day te reo Māori wins.”

She says it is the constant uplifting of the Māori language movement that’s “the main thing” and what keeps artists “cheering each other on”.

The ‘bigger movement’ of Māori music

Rapana is of Sāmoan and Māori heritage, with links on her father’s side to Tainui Āwhiro in Whāingroa - Raglan, and Mulifanua Lalovi, Falelatai, and Vaimoso villages in Sāmoa through her mother.

Her brother, Matautia-Morgan, says she has “taken the mantle” of carrying te reo Māori for their aiga, and Rapana teaches full immersion at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Māngere.

She says as an artist, producing songs in te reo Māori is “very meaningful” as it keeps her in check with reality, and maintains the importance of identity.

“It’s very meaningful because as someone who didn’t grow up speaking te reo Māori at all, I think it just feels like you’re contributing to a bigger movement. You’re doing something bigger than yourself.

“Which I think in an industry where you have to see yourself a lot, I have to hear my voice (and) see myself quite a lot, it’s really important to keep being a part of a bigger picture, a bigger movement.

“Because I don’t know how healthy it is to look and hear yourself as much as people in this industry have to. For me it just keeps the main thing the main thing.”

That being the revitalisation movement and reclamation of te reo as a means for Rapana to stay centred, grounded and clear on her goals.

A sentiment that also plays on her artist name where the “Why” is about having a purpose and Rapana’s own life purpose, while also serving as a reminder that her name is spelt with a ‘y’.