NELZ

SAMOAN / NEW ZEALAND

MUSICIAN

Please introduce yourself, tell us where you’re from and a little about your background.

Hey guys, my name is Nelz, and I’m a musician originally from South Auckland, New Zealand. I was also brought up in Aus too.

How did you first get into music?

My brother introduced me to the studio with the boys. From there, I just kept going most days of the week.

What do you remember about recording your first songs while you were still at school?

I remember being a 13-14 year old, just always trying to push to record more songs. I was rapping and singing hahaha.

It was a muck around at first until I started taking songs seriously.

What was it like seeing “Trying” become such a huge success?

I was shocked. When I first put it out, I didn’t expect it to pop off, to be honest. Just grateful. Grateful for my team and the people who were a part of it.

How did that early success shape you as an artist?

The early success gave me confidence and showed me that I had the potential with my music. When “Trying” started popping off, I put a lot of pressure on myself to make every song perform at the same level.

How has your approach to music changed since you first started?

I’ve learned that being myself and making music that represents me is more important. I don’t worry as much about trying to make every song as successful as my biggest song.

Now I just focus on improving, trying new things and enjoying making music.

What does your Samoan heritage mean to you?

My Samoan heritage means a lot to me because it keeps me connected to my family, my culture and where I come from. It’s taught me the importance of family and respect.

Growing up between South Auckland and Melbourne, my Samoan culture has always been a big part of who I am and how I see the world. It’s something I’m proud to carry with me.

How does being Samoan from South Auckland influence your music?

Being Samoan from South Auckland has a big influence on my music because it’s a huge part of who I am.

What did winning the Phillip Fuemana Award mean to you?

Winning the Phillip Fuemana Award meant a lot to me because it felt like recognition for the work I’ve been putting in and the journey I’ve been on as an artist.

Phillip Fuemana left such a big impact on our music and culture, so being recognised through an award in his name is something I’m really proud of.

Your new single is called “Take Control”. Tell us about it. What inspired the song? How did it come about?

“Take Control” is a love song about letting your partner take control and trusting them in a relationship. I wanted to capture that feeling of being comfortable with someone and letting them lead.

The song came together naturally in the studio, and we built the whole vibe around that idea of love, trust and connection.

What are you hoping to achieve in this next chapter of your career?

Consistent drops. More awards and growing in the music industry.

What do you want people to know about Nelz that they might not know from your music?

I’d want people to know there’s more to Nelz than just music.

I’ve been through ups and downs like everyone else, and a lot of the person I am today comes from those experiences. I’m also someone who really cares about the people around me and wants to see everyone win.