Coco Talanoa — Entertainment / Page 27

ICYMI Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson launched his YouTube channel in July this year as a way to connect with fans who are hungry for more digital Rock. 

His web content includes Poke Rock, Rock the Promo as well as personal messages and video responses from The Rock.

His latest is a new feature they're going to do every once in a while called 'The Rock Reacts' which he launched yesterday - The Rock Reacts to His First WWE Match: 20 YEARS OF THE ROCK.

Approaching the 20th Anniversary of his first WWE wrestling match, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is reflecting on the day his life changed forever: November 17, 1996. He made his debut at Madison Square Garden as “Rocky Maivia” at WWE’s Survivor Series in a matchup against Crush and Goldust.…more

The Hipstamatix, Estere, Tyra and the Tornadoes and the Pacific Queen of Soul herself - Aaradhna - got up with the get down last night for a night of Soul music in NZs first 'Super Soul Revue'

Aaradhna both headlined and curated the night which featured the superstar local line-up of talented soul artists at Aucklands 'Powerstation'

Highlights of the night below ...

THE HIPSTAMATIX 

More than a Soul covers band, The Hipstamatix sound and style is based on 60's and 70's Motown acts such as Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross and turn iconic songs like TLC's "Waterfalls" and Beyonce's "Naughty Girl" into soulful, funk anthems.  The 10 piece band are about to release originals of their own and will be touring this summer.…more

Walt Disney's Official first full length trailer .....

Watch the brand new trailer for Disney’s Moana! See the film, starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson & Auli'i Cravalho, in theatres in 3D this Thanksgiving if you're in the US and on the 26th of December if you're in the Southern Hemisphere!

Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one knows why.

From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated feature film about an adventurous teenager who sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demigod Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder.…more

We caught up with Pita Taufatofua at the Pacific Fusion Fashion Show held in Auckland and asked him some quick questions. Hear what he had to say.

In 2002 Disney gave us 'Lilo & Stitch' a story about a little Hawaiian girl & an alien creature - they used a choir from Auckland for the music.  Pasifika Voices choir director and the Head of Performing Arts at the USP Oceania Centre in Suva, Igelese Ete told them it wasn't really Pacific.

Last year, at his own expense he travelled to Los Angeles to leave a personal message at Disney studios saying “that they cannot produce a movie about the Pacific and not include voices of the Pacific”

Disney to their credit took notice of Ete's message and their team flew to Fiji a few weeks ago to hear the Pasifika Voices choir hoping they'd find music that would capture the Pacifics heart, soul and musical essence.  They weren't expecting much as they hadn't had experience with talent in the Pacific but they were totally wowed after hearing the 20 young singers from Fiji and the Solomon Islands who make up Igelese's choir.…more

Meet emerging Fashion Artist Priscilla Ale of 'E'vana Couture' who lives in Sydney, Australia, is of Samoan Heritage and born in Auckland, New Zealand. 

She has had a dedicated spark for her Polynesian background, establishing a Polynesian Dance Company in 2011 teaching children the art of Hawaiian and Samoan Dance, designing and sewing the uniforms for her students.

As her creativity with handcrafted uniforms and accessorising progressed she recognised her Art in Pacific Fashion and decided to take a break with Polynesian Dance to explore her Creativity in Design and Fashion.  She studied at the Professional Fashion Design with Sydney's LaMode College. 

In FEB 2016 E'vana Couture featured in "Fashions Finest" Londons World Fashion Magazine and walked the Runway for the London Pacific Fashion Collective. Shes Been A Judge at Sydneys Biggest Multicultural School Festival, PacFest 2016 and was honoured to sit as a Special Judge for the Miss Samoa NSW 2016.…more

KRIT & LANCE SAVALI 

Krit catches up with hip hop dancer Lance Savali in Jersey City before he hits the Madison Square Garden stage with Rihanna at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Suggested Links:

Krit & the Iron Squad 

Humans of the Islands - Kristian Fanene Schmidt 

COCONET EXCLUSIVE 

Full 'Adorn' documentary coming to the Coconet soon 

The brothers have been back in Australia and New Zealand the last couple of weeks before they end the international leg of their 'Music with a Message' tour in Samoa.

If you're in Wellington, New Zealand you can catch them at Sacred Heart College Performing Arts Centre tonight (Tuesday 02 August) and for our Samoan friends and family they'll be performing in front of the Apia Samoa Government Building on both Friday & Saturday night.

More info & more US tour dates and cities on their website here 

Here's a few highlight pics of their performance at Equippers church in Auckland on Sunday night.

Suggested Links:  

How singing the gospel changed Fiji

The Garden - TJ Taotua ft Fiji & Kiwini Vaitai

PNC brings the fire with his latest release 'The Luke Vailima' EP which dropped today.

It's PNCs first release in a couple of years since his album 'The Codes' & is the first of a 3 part series.  We asked PNC (real name Sam Hansen) if there was a story behind the name 'Luke Vailima' and he told us it's his middle names.  He explained the name further in an interview with Stuff'I just wanted a real basic title about me. It kind of explains how I am half Samoan, half European and it all just made sense to me'

Local NZ talent PT, Rokske & Jeremy Redmore (former member of the band Midnight Youth) also feature on the EP and PNC doesn't disappoint with his signature straight talking bars on bars on bars!

"...…more