“Mental health means a lot to me – I’ve experienced its impact firsthand when it goes untreated. I’m grateful for my faith, which keeps me grounded and is a core value I share to support others facing similar struggles” Caleb Fatialofa (CAYZA)
For a lot of music artists, their love for music resonates deeper than just their tunes or lyrics. With every song and word they piece together, they weave together a story that is spoken truly from themselves.
This is the case for Maraenui based artist Caleb Fatialofa. Born and raised in a Samoan cultural upbringing, Cayza as he is known through his artist name was involved around music right from an early age.
“Being raised in a musically gifted family and in church, I knew music was going to be a passion of mine for life. Though I had other interests during my journey, I found that I always found my way back to music” Fatialofa said.
“It all started as a bit of fun – freestyling with my mates – and that’s when I realised I had more to offer than just playing drums. I found I had something to say, and getting behind the mic to create my own music just felt right”
Living and growing up in a small town like Maraenui in Napier, deemed to be at first an issue for Fatialofa. Despite its size and small population, the young artist was always proud to represent his hometown wherever he went.
“Growing up as a Samoan in Maraenui was a humbling experience and a blessing in disguise. It wasn’t the easiest place to be raised, but it taught me to value my upbringing, stay grounded in my faith and culture, and appreciate the lessons that shaped me”
“Maraenui will always be home – the values we gained through our challenges made our experience as a Samoan family even more meaningful”
His latest release titled “Let my People Go” speaks about his message as an artist, where he hopes to spread awareness for many issues in his community, particularly mental health.
Sampling the well known track by famous band 1814 also titled “Let my People Go”. Fatialofa puts his own spin on the track while still highlighting the same message as portrayed by 1814.
“The sample is what drew me in – the title alone carried so much meaning. 1814’s original, referencing the story of Moses, immediately struck a chord. I knew I had to speak on the challenges our communities face today, especially around mental health. It just felt powerful and necessary”.
While being able to inspire audiences and listeners through his work as an artist, Fatialofa also spends his time uplifting the next generation in his hometown of Maraenui.
The young artist spends time at his old school Napier Boys High mentoring students in a “big brother” role as he describes it.
“It’s been a real blessing to mentor Pasifika students at Napier Boys’ High as both a role model and big brother figure. It creates a safe space for them to talk about their challenges and celebrate their wins.”
“It also keeps me grounded in my music – reminding me of the message I want to share and the example I want to set”
With both his music and community, Fatialofa hopes to utilise both roles in spreading awareness for mental health.
“Mental health means a lot to me – I’ve experienced its impact firsthand when it goes untreated. I’m grateful for my faith, which keeps me grounded and is a core value I share to support others facing similar struggles. It’s something I care deeply about.”
“I’m currently focused on creating new music with my label ‘Chosen Records’ and staying consistent with my message – building a positive and unique influence through the ‘Chosen’ platform. I’m excited for what’s next. Big things are on the way!”
