'Brothers' - Gang of Youths lead singer Dave Le'aupepe live for 'Like a Version'

Gang of Youths front man Dave Le'aupepe performs his deeply personal song 'Brothers' live for Triple J's 'Like a Version'.

'Brothers' is a ballad recounting the new information Dave learned about his father since his death in 2018, following trips exploring his heritage in Samoa and Aotearoa, including learning of his two half-brothers who were left by their father in their youth.

Le'aupepe wrote that “this began as a simple piano motif in a studio in Auckland … trying to, effectively, compartmentalise what I had learned about my dad’s life and my family story into one ballad. I’d thought a lot about Paul Kelly, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits and other story tellers who only needed a piano and the truth. With that truth, it felt important to let my brother’s stories be known to others and not forgotten. We are a storytelling people after all.

“The point is, I adore my Dad. But my Dad, unfortunately, did the wrong thing by leaving his sons. He did the wrong thing by concealing our history and heritage from my sister and I.

“It seems that by allowing this story to see the light, it’s bringing rest to his soul and comfort to my siblings and myself.”

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In the video below Dave explains why his family's history means he puts his heart into the music made by Gang of Youths, and how music has made life more bearable.