Shane Walker: Four PMA nods and the mysterious ‘Stella’

Kūki ‘Āirani and Māori artist Shane Walker has rapidly ascended in Aotearoa New Zealand’s music scene as a reggae and roots singer, but many do not recognise him as a gospel artist.

He heads to the 2025 Pacific Music Awards (PMA) with four nominations - Best Pacific Male Artist, Best Pacific Roots/Reggae Artist, Best Pacific Song, and Best Gospel Artist.

Walker’s story reflects a life turned from mischief and mayhem to meaning and mindfulness, embodying intention, hope, and Kūki pride.

Walker says he was most surprised to be announced as a finalist in thegospel category, sponsored by 531pi, noting that his song, IESU, is now playing in airports across Aotearoa and the Cook Islands.

“I hear it a lot on Air New Zealand, Jetstar, AirRaro, and this is a really deep gospel song,” Walker says during the Behind The Beat* series of interviews with Niu FM.

“So I understand, but it took me by surprise, and now I'm in the gospel category.”

The crawler before Walker

Born and raised in the “Home of the Brave” - Ōtara - Walker grew up in a musically-driven family with strong Kūki ties.

He started his career alongside his father, Dion DHarp Paekau, and his uncle, Rahui “Brother Love” Vaka, before finding his own artistic voice with the smash hit, Roimata.

Walker broke into the Auckland underground scene under the name ESDUB, gaining recognition, but hardship and poor decision-making led to a troubled teenage life filled with crime.

He eventually realised that music could bring about positive change, not only for himself but also for his family, leading him to turn to his faith.

“I’m actually a religious man…I was brought up SDA (Seventh-day Adventist). Jesus is part of the reason why I'm 10 years a clean man now.”

No slowing down

Walker’s distinctive sound is drawn from his life experiences, love for music, and Cook Islands influences, all fused to create melodic masterpieces.

In November 2024, he released the single, COASTY GIRL, which has surpassed 3.5 million streams on Spotify. Adding to this, his music video for BELIEVE garnered 21,000 streams within just eight minutes of its release.

Walker’s dedication to his craft was recognised at the 2024 PMAs when he received the People's Choice Award for Best Pacific Artist.

Behind his lyrical advocacy

In the interview, Walker reveals how his song, THE LORD IS WATCHING YOU, calls out a church leader’s hypocrisy.

“He preaches the word of God on Sapati, and then I see you at the night clubs cheating on your wife," Walker says.

“You say follow the commandments, and you're already breaking the commandment - thou shalt not commit adultery. What are you doing with the other lady that's in the pub?

“He knows it's for him, yeah, just remember the Lord is watching you.”

Walker also uses his music to advocate for indigenous rights, Māori sovereignty, and people power. He hopes to inspire unity among native people across the world to stand together against oppressive systems and honour their ancestral connections.

While he agrees that indigenous people continue to face challenges, he believes “we are going in the right direction”.

“Sorry, my people, I love you very much, but sometimes we get some of our family who think they deserve this and deserve that. Like everything is all about them,” Walker says.

“How can we, how can we get together as one if you are fighting with that iwi, that iwi, and that iwi. It’s supposed to be together as one.”

‘Sometimes, it’s just content’

Walker’s style is multi-dimensional, with some of his more playful lyrics reflecting his cheeky grin and raspy laugh. He shares parodies and witty remarks on social media.

“Ninety-nine per cent of the stuff I make, I actually didn't do anything, I just like writing stories and thinking outside the box. Sometimes it’s just content, like how you watch some silly TikTok videos - that’s one of them.”

Who is ‘Stella’?

Walker’s current hit single, WAIMĀ GIRL, has sparked curiosity among fans about the infamous “Stella” from Waimā.

“There’s a deeper story to that. Stella is actually a celestial star. If all the women in the world are stars, Stella is the celestial one,” Walker says.

“Not only that, when I talk about this place down there, they have a marae called Tuhirangi, it means ‘written in the stars’.

Walker has lost count of how many women named Stella have approached him, claiming a personal connection to the song.

“A hundred of them bro tell me, ‘Oh you wrote that song for me!’ Walker jokingly adds, “I’ve never seen you or heard of your name my entire life, but yeah, ok, I made it for you.”

*Behind The Beat is a social media series of sit-down interviews with PMA finalists, where artists open up about their creative processes and inspirations. Available to watch on NiuFM social media platforms.

The Pacific Music Awards will be held at the Manukau Due Drops Events Centre on Thursday, 21 August.