Rising stars Noé and Sam V set to impress at Going Global Festival

Get ready to uncover your next musical obsession at a vibrant two-night event featuring 24 emerging artists from across Aotearoa’s diverse musical landscape.

The Going Global Festival 2025 (GGF) is expected to take over Karangahape Road, Tāmaki Makaurau, this week as unsigned artists aim to impress industry experts with 20-minute sets of their best tracks.

Presented by Independent Music NZ (IMNZ) and the NZ Music Commission, the festival is part of the Going Global Music Summit and is known as Aotearoa’s premier industry event. It connects local artists with leading festival bookers, agents, and music executives from around the world.

Among the curated lineup shaping the future of Aotearoa music are Wellington-based Fijian music producer Seru Tuivoavoa, known as Noé, and Auckland’s Cook Islander RnB poster boy, Sam V.

For the artists, the festival is more than just an event; it is a pivotal opportunity. Previous showcases have directly led to international management deals, record signings, and overseas tours, helping New Zealand talent gain exposure on the global stage.

This year’s keynote artist lineup offers a rare opportunity to engage with high-profile leaders in Aotearoa, including L.A.B, 9LIVES, Princess Chelsea, and Lil Chief Records’ Gareth Shute. With doors open to the public, the festival is not just for industry insiders, it is a chance to catch tomorrow’s stars today.

Noé (pronounced noi) is a multi-talented artist who has been producing, writing, and recording his own music since 2017. He has been quietly building a reputation for himself with an unpredictable flow, signature harmonies, and a creatively unique style.

Noé tells PMN News that he is excited about performing at the festival. “For things like this, I usually get nervous, especially when I'm aware that there are industry people present. But my manager is doing a good job of keeping me prepared.

“I don’t feel as scared, or I don’t feel the nerves as much. I’m just ready to get in there, talk to as many people as I can and for the showcase. I pride myself on my live show, so I’m really excited to show everyone…this is what it is and this is what I do.”

Noé is already making waves in the global market, having attracted the attention of superstar artists like T-Pain, Cabu, and Ta-ku. He has collaborated with Ta-ku on several songs.

Noé also debuted on Ta-ku’s album, Songs To Come Home To, and featured on a song with James Poyser from the legendary hip-hop group, The Roots. His song, Sun Moon, with Cabu has nearly 13 million streams on Spotify and more recently, he joined forces with Aaradhna and released a track called BREAK from his CRUEL CHANGE EP.

Having a background in street dance, Noé credits his time performing with HLGNZ, Hype Rush Empire, and Projekt Team for moulding his stage presence.

“They helped me to learn what performance is,” he says. “I perform the way I do on stage because I study my favorite artists when they perform live, but I also just learned how to do that to a crowd with the dance crew and with those guys when I was dancing with them. They are very, very cool people.”

Influenced heavily by the 2010s Soundcloud era, Soulection, and artists like Lido, Saba, Childish Gambino, Masego, and Smino, Noé is bringing a fresh sound to the New Zealand music scene.

He has sampled children’s shows like Spongebob Squarepants and The Bee Movie in his music, saying, “this is the weird I’m talking about, just dumb stuff really”. But it is the peculiar creativity that makes Noé one artist to watch.

Sam V is celebrated for his smooth vocals, sharp songwriting, and electrifying live performances, where he blends contemporary RnB and soul into a distinct sound.

With over four million streams in the past year, Sam V has performed at major festivals such as Homegrown, One Love, and Promiseland.

He is a two-time Aotearoa Music Awards finalist, has headlined tours across the country, and received praise from artists like Charlie Puth, Thuy, and James Vickery.

When PMN News caught up with Sam V, he had just won his fourth consecutive Best Soul/RnB artist award and his first Best Producer award at the 2025 Pacific Music Awards. He says he aims to leave a lasting impression at the GGF.

“I will walk in with the intention that I want them to walk away thinking, ‘Who the hell was that?’

“I always perform with the intention that I don’t want you to forget what you saw. Hopefully, I get to a point where everyone just knows, but I’m still at a point of development, learning, growth, exploration, and getting out there.”

Sam V says he is far from being “a finalised product”, but he is confident that he is on the right path towards achieving global stardom.

Pippa Ryan-Kidd, Chairperson of IMNZ, says the Global festival is a significant step for artists who are “market ready”, adding that it provides numerous international opportunities that are pivotal for advancing one’s career.

“It’s not only the fact that they have the international listeners, but also the skills and teams around them to be able to make the most of any opportunities that come their way.”

Ryan-Kidd says the unique soundscape of Aotearoa is valued by the international delegates. The summit will include experts from various music sectors, including film and television, and will cover topics such as setting up a visa.

“It can be really overwhelming and you can suffer from imposter syndrome. You can think, ‘I'm not good enough, I shouldn't be here’, and that is not the case,” she says.

“Everybody comes to a conference like this because they want to meet and talk to people. The artists come to do that, and the delegates come to do that. You should not have any shyness…no one will say they are too important to talk to you, it will not happen…just go up to someone, say hello and ask them what they do.”

The Global Music Summit will be held at the Whammy! And Double Whammy! bars on Karangahape Road, from 28 to 29 August. Tickets for the artists’ showcase are available here.