‘The pull is stronger than ever’: Mozie finds her voice through grief, identity and Sāmoa

For Pōneke Wellington-based singer-songwriter Moana Leota, better known as Mozie, music has become a way to stay connected to the people and places that shaped her.

The Afakasi artist says the loss of her father, respected rugby coach Willie Leota, two years ago has deepened her understanding of identity, family and what it means to be Sāmoan.

As Aotearoa New Zealand wraps up New Zealand Music Month and steps into Sāmoan Language Week, that connection feels stronger than ever.

Hailing from the Sāmoan villages of Vaimoso, Tanugamanono, and Avao, Mozie has not been to the motherland. But she says the desire to learn more about her heritage has grown stronger since her father’s passing.

"It’s been a crucial time for me to step in and to really learn," Mozie tells PMN Sāmoa.

"If I stand in as myself and who I am, then that just naturally comes into it - the storytelling, the humour, the love. I feel as though just being his daughter is enough."

The Wairarapa-raised artist channels much of that honesty and vulnerability into her music including new single, Here We Go Again.

Released at the end of NZ Music Month with backing from NZ On Air, the smooth, slow-burn, R&B-pop track explores the powerful pull of “a relationship that isn’t good for you”.

Co-written with Wellington musician Leonardo Coghini, the song was inspired by a real life situation.

"I wrote Here We Go Again inspired by someone close to me, who was in a situation with someone they were far too good for," Mozie said in an interview with 13th Floor. "I wanted this song to say, ‘I see you, I hear you and I’m here for you while you figure it out’."

While her solo career is still gathering momentum, Mozie is no stranger to performing in front of large audiences.

Over the past two years, she has toured the world as a backing vocalist for New Zealand soul singer Louis Baker and musician-comedian Brett McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords.

She says those experiences helped shape her growth as an artist but also highlighted the importance of telling her own stories.

“I was helping them with their stories and singing their songs,” Mozie tells PMN Sāmoa.

“But obviously I had my own stories and my own things to talk about. So that kind of inspired me to go down a road of sharing my own thing.

Touring also left her with lessons that extended beyond music. “Something that I learned being on tour with Brett in particular was just like how important it is to be kind.

“You can do great things and be in amazing spaces, but it's really important to be kind and it is possible to do that."

Following earlier releases, Not Done Loving and Sonshine, Mozie’s latest single lays the foundation for an upcoming EP.

She hopes her music will provide comfort and connection for young Pacific listeners navigating their own journeys of identity.

And while her career continues to grow, one dream remains at the top of the list. “To get to Sāmoa…oh my gosh, that would be a dream,” she says.

Mozie’s music is available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music.