Music Portfolio
Aleksandra Bardajian
Te Vaka
Group Members
Opetaia Foa'i (Tokelau/Tuvalu)
Founder, Composer, Lead Singer, Guitarist, Percussionist
Ever since creating Te Vaka in 1994, Opetaia Foa'i has been sharing the pride of his culture with audiences all over the world through his music.
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While on stage he performs as the band's lead singer, acoustic guitarist and lead log drummer. Offstage he's described as “one of New Zealand’s finest songwriters” and is grammy-nominated for his work in Disney's "Moana"
Olivia Foa'i (Tokelau/Tuvalu/New Zealand)
Singer, Dancer, Choreographer
Olivia Foa'i, daughter of the bandleader, has been featured on countless Te Vaka tracks and captivated audiences all over the world with her voice and Contemporary Pacific dance moves.
Matatia Foa'i (Tokelau/Tuvalu/New Zealand)
Master Percussionist, Percussion composer
The youngest son of the band leader, Matatia Foa'i started his career with Te Vaka at just age 6. He plays an essential role in the band as the percussionist.
Douglas Berard (Samoa)
Singer, keyboardist, percussionist
Douglas joined the Te Vaka in 2004 as the lead male vocal for "Tamahana" from the “Legend of Johnny Lingo” soundtrack.
Joe Toomata (Samoa)
Electric guitarist, percussionist
Joe joined Te Vaka in 2001, proving himself a skilled bass-player, percussionist and valuable member of the group. Joe is now on his instrument of choice, the electric guitar.
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Neil Forrest (New Zealand)
Bass, flute, percussion
Neil has been a founding member of Te Vaka since 1994. He plays Bass guitar, Percussion, Flute and occasionally sings backing vocals.
Etueni Pita (Tokelau/Tuvalu/Cook Islands)
Dancer
Etueni is one of the original members of the group and is known for his expertise is Polynesian dance.
Dave Kuresa (Samoa)
Dancer
Dave is the newest member of Te Vaka and brings with him a strong background in modern dance styles mixed with a love of his Samoan heritage and culture.
Below are some examples of the songs Te Vaka has produced.
Musical Examples
Te Vaka is a Contemporary Polynesian band praised for its distinct original sound and devotion to the South Pacific and the stories of its ancestors. Over 20 years Te Vaka has produced 9 studio albums, toured 40 countries and created hit songs like Pate Pate, Tamahana and many songs throughout the Moana Soundtrack.
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Group Achievements
Te Vaka has consistently toured the world since 1997 and has won many awards including the "Best Pacific Music Album" award for their albums Tutuki (2004) and Olatia (2007) from the New Zealand Music Awards and "Best Pacific Group" in the 2008 Pacific Music Awards. According to the BBC, they are "the world's most successful band playing original contemporary Pacific music."
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Sulata Foai-Amiatu (Tokelau)
Singer
One of the founding members of the band, Sulata Foai-Amiatu is known for her unique pacific vocal sound.
Song Analysis - Lakalaka
Lakalaka, released in 2017 is one of Te Vakas most recent songs.
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"Lakalaka" translates to "stepping briskly". Lakalaka is also the dance Tonga, where performers are largely standing still and make gestures with their arms only.
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Duration:
- The tempo of this song is 128 BPM.
- The song has a strong underlying beat.
- The metre of the song is common time or 4/4.
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Pitch:
- The tonality of the piece in Major.
- This Piece is in the key of C Major.
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Structure
- Intro, Verse 1, Pre chorus, Chorus, Verse 2, Pre-Chorus, Chorus, Bridge, Chorus x4.
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Texture
- This piece has a thick texture as it hs multiple layers.
- These layers include, the main vocal melody, multiple rhythmic drums, and vocal harmonies.
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Tone colour
- The tone colour of this piece can be described as powerful, grand, bright, clear, and brilliant.