“Being Niue is something that I hold very dear to me. I was raised Niuean by my grandmother, so when I think of my people, my family, I carry them with me. I hope they are proud too” – Che Fu.
As the foyer of The Civic Theatre in Auckland started to get packed on Thursday night, it was a matter of spotting the who’s who of the country’s finest music talent.
They may all share different genres, but it was a night to come together and celebrate the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards.
And the Pasifika presence was felt at the awards ceremony, with the likes of Sam V, Brandn Shiraz, Three Houses Down and more attending as finalists in their respective categories.
The man of the moment however was Niuean music icon Che Ness better known as ‘Che Fu’, who was recognised with the Lifetime Achievement award.
With a music career spanning 30+ years and a catalogue of timeless hits, Che Fu says that being recognised with that award was also a tribute to his Niuean community and family.
“It’s humbling, and I am very overjoyed to accept this award, and to just be acknowledged this way. I feel very lucky and blessed to just be a musician and go out there and play and perform music as a living,” Che Fu says.
And there was no shortage of Niuean cultural expression from Che, kicking off his performance with a takalo (Niuean war dance), a nod to his roots and culture that had helped shape him through his career.
“Being Niuean is something that I hold very dear to me. I was raised Niuean by my grandmother, so when I think of my people, my family, I carry them with me. I hope they are proud too.”
His fellow Pasifika peers were also quick to praise the music legend, reminiscing on what his music meant in their own personal journeys.
Hip hop artist Brandn Shiraz, who took out the Best Electronic Artist award in his collaborated track with producer Caru, spoke about how much of an influence Che Fu was as a musician.
A proud son of the Cook Islands, Shiraz also draws on his cultural heritage in his own work, something he learnt a lot about from listening to Che Fu.
“I was like rapping on Che Fu beats and all that when I was just starting to get into music. It’s definitely well deserved, and he is a legend. I think he should’ve already been given this award,” Shiraz says.
The young artist says that he is humbled by the recognition for what is his first ever award for his work and music.
“I’ve been making music for like 10 years plus, like since I was in high school. I definitely didn’t think I was going to make it pass like rapping in my bedroom. So you know, it’s a vibe man.”
Also present at the awards was artist Shane Walker, who was named a finalist in the Breakthrough artist category.
Balancing his music career and also his dreams of building a studio to help artists back in Cook Islands, he credited the inspiration Che Fu gave him as he navigated through the ups and downs of the music industry.
“He is a big inspiration for us… not (just) with music, but in my career. He would always give me a message like, ‘bro I love the music’,” Walker says.
“He performed when I was a kid in Otara and I thought bro, he is Polynesian. If he can make it. then I can make it too.”
*Some quotes have been edited for clarity
