​Naia Awatea to Take Centre Stage at Matariki Festival

Nelson City Council is pleased to announce that New Zealand singer and kapa haka performer NAIA (Naia Awatea) will be taking the stage at Te Huihuinga o Matariki 2026 on July 10.

Naia gained national attention following her standout performance at Te Matatini 2025, which quickly went viral online. She is best known as a lead vocalist for Te Kuru Marutea, winners of the inaugural Kohine Pōnika “People’s Choice” Award at Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga in March 2025.
Naia Awatea grew up in Te Tauihu and she can’t wait to perform for the hometown crowd.

“I’m most excited to get back on stage and get back into the music scene after the birth of my son – T Oāti.”

Since Te Matatini, Naia has continued to build momentum, steadily releasing new music and growing an impressive catalogue of original work. She is also on the verge of releasing her first album.

“I’ve had my head down in the studio building an album aimed to release in August, I will share a few unreleased tracks at Matariki,” Naia says.
Naia Awatea's music is best described as contemporary Māori soul, with strong roots in kapa haka and waiata Māori. Her sound combines expressive vocals, emotional storytelling, and cultural themes, creating music that feels both modern and deeply connected to te ao Māori.
Naia has fond memories of celebrating Matariki in Whakatū.

“The lantern walk in Victory, is a core memory. Hāngi at the marae was, and still is, always a go-to!”
This year’s Te Huihuinga o Matariki 2026 will be held at Saxton Stadium. The festival will begin at 5pm with the Mākete pō (night market) and the performances will begin later in the evening. Naia will be supporting headliner act Kings, and there will also be performances from local kapa haka groups. A schedule for the event will be released in the coming weeks.