August 2026 sees the release of ‘Ego Trip’ the second EP from independent hip hop producer/artist NOÉ (Seru Tuivoavoawho). The Pōneke rapper finds inspiration from the diverse likes of Saba, Childish Gambino and Smino. Earworm track POP OFF, the third single released ahead of the EP, also features Vallé and found a place on the August NewTracks compilation from NZ On Air Music. 

Where do you hail from and where do you live currently?

I was born in Wellington, grew up here, there and everywhere – but mostly here. I’m Fijian, hailing from Naselesele village on the island of Taveuni.

What production tools (and instruments) do you use?

I’m not trained with any musical instrument at all, really I just have ears that work well. All my production is done on FL Studio 11, which is very very old.

Has any music tuition been important in your musical progress?

Yeah, I went to SAE Institute in Auckland for three years. It was great and taught me how to record and mix at home in my bedroom studio.

Any other artist projects we might know you from?

I did some writing/production work and featured on my friend Ta-ku’s debut album ‘Songs To Come Home To’ as well as Cabu’s EP ‘So Far To Go’. I also appeared on a compilation album by 823 Records called ‘To Be Considered Vol. 3’

What’s the background story to your solo artist gig?

I was taught by a friend how to make beats in ’09 when I was 13. Fast forward to 2017 and my time in SAE, I was wanting to produce albums and have people featuring on them as vocalists. No one was really that keen, so I decided I’d just write and record myself! Now, here I am.

How did you choose NOÉ as artist name?

I chose it in 2017. I bounced around different names here and there and landed on the name ‘Noah’. At the time I was putting up baile funk remixes on Soundcloud and I was getting my first good amount of plays and they were coming out of Brazil. So, to show some appreciation to the Brazilian audience, I translated Noah into Portuguese and I got NOÉ.

How has your production evolved from your earliest releases to now?

I guess all I can say about that is it’s gotten better, which is great. I try to stay as versatile as possible. Learning new things and new genres has helped me evolve completely. How? I’m not too sure but it feels good.

You released an EP called ‘Cruel Change’ in 2024. What were some lessons you learned in that process?

That EP sucked to make. A lot of personal things were happening at the time and I found myself alone quite a lot during the process. The best parts were the collaborations with Aaradhna, Avi and my good friend Swoo. They taught me that when I make these things, just because I’m alone in my room for most of it, I don’t have to do it alone.

What’s been your music career highlight to date?

On Ta-ku’s album, I got to work on a song with James Poyser from the legendary Roots Crew. It was such an honour to work with him. I also got to work with Aaradhna who was at the top of my dream NZ collabs. Both of those were so great and I’m very grateful for them both.

What made POP OFF stand out for you as a single?

It’s loud, cocky and annoying. No one wants you to be annoying and brag all the time but I don’t really care. I just want to jump around and have fun. That’s what that song is to me.

What is the story behind POP OFF?

I just wanted to be free. On all of my previous projects I was hyper-critical of myself and I would judge every move I made very harshly. I wanted to let go of that, not just on this single but also the entire project.

What’s your favourite moment, musical or lyrical, of the track?

“6 foot 4, I’m the tallest poppy” is my favourite lyric. I’ve realised that tall poppy syndrome only affects me if I let it. No one can physically stop me from doing this. Also, I’m very tall.

Who did you record/produce the track with and where? Got a fun story about the making-of?

I produced and recorded the track at home. I had to wait until no one was at home to record because of all the screaming I did on it.

How do you connect with Vallé? At what stage did you get him involved with the track? 

I’ve always known of him because a childhood friend of mine is a mutual friend of ours but we finally met at the Moana Songhubs in 2024. I posted a snippet of the beat on Instagram and that’s when Vallé hit me up and wanted to record over it. We had a chat, jumped on a video call on Discord one day, he did his recording at home and we went back and forth on the verse. So much fun.

What would you like listeners to take away from this song?

Be big, be loud, be confident, be brave. That’s what I told myself when making this.

Can you please name three other local tunes that would fit well on a playlist alongside your track. 

The Heights – Day Ones
RNZO – Taniwharau
From Outside – Back In The Mix
All three of these tracks are insane.

Who else is in your team?

Audrey Siataga is my manager and Charlotte Ryan has been handling the PR side of things for this project. Such amazing people.

Your second EP ‘EGO TRIP’ has just dropped. What’s your elevator pitch to get people to buy it?

Have you seen the movie You Got Served? This EP is that but in 2026. I came up in street dance battles so I’m trying to bring that back. It’s full of confidence. POP OFF is the exclamation point, and the bonus track is like the cherry on top.

Have any of your previous single releases been included on NewTracks? 

I don’t think any of my songs have been on NewTracks. Some have been on Fresh Cuts but I can’t remember which songs.

You got New Music Single funding for POP OFF. What did that $11k allow you to do that you wouldn’t have otherwise?

We made the music video! We got some design work done for the single too by my friend Juse1, and we were able to fly Vallé up and house him for a night so he could be in the video. I was also able to pay my friend Aidan (aka Omen) to be in the video and drop some krump rounds. The whole experience was great.

Are there any musical blogs, Youtube channels or podcasts you’re into?

I love COLORSxSTUDIO. I always go there to listen to new music from around the world.

How can we find you on social media?

You can find me on Instagram
And Tiktok (sometimes)

Any last words?

Thanks for all your support and thanks for having me! Eat lots of fibre and drink water. Don’t drink and drive. If you get tired, pull over. Call me when you get home. Ok alright, love you.

Made with support from NZ On Air.