Pasifika siblings from South Auckland representing NZ in the World Championship Of Performing Arts

Samoan siblings Maretta Brown, 19, and Psalms Vaotuua, 14, from Mangere, South Auckland have been selected to represent NZ at the 26th Annual World Championships of Performing Arts 2023. Team NZ will represent NZ for the 14th time in Los Angeles California. Participants from over 60 countries are invited to compete at this prestigious event.

Maretta is a 19 year old aspiring artist, Singer, Songwriter and guitarist. She has been writing songs since her childhood, which she says helped her develop her confidence and cope with her health setbacks. She attended St Marys College where she entered Auckland Council’s Stand up Stand out in 2020 and was a successful entrant interviewed by Radio New Zealand. In 2021 Maretta was selected as a Semi-finalist and recorded an original piece with Niu Fm. In 2022 Maretta recorded with Bodies of Art who are a collective of low vision and blind artists, that collaborated to produce a piece.

Psalms is a 14 year old self taught drummer. Psalms has been playing drums since infanthood starting on the pots and pans and graduating to an adult drum kit at 3years old. He started playing at Church with his family and for school masses when he was 7 years old. He had his first taste of competition when his band from Holy Cross Papatoetoe entered Band Quest in year 5. In 2021 his band Sound of La Salle entered Tangata Beats and won the Auckland Region heats. In 2022, their band came first place of Tangata Beats National Competition.