Ex-Whanganui musician Seth Haapu earns four award nominations at Māori Music Awards

Songwriter Seth Haapu grew up locally and attended Whanganui High School. Photo / Supplied

Former Whanganui musician Seth Haapu has received four nominations at the upcoming Waiata Māori Music Awards.

He's in the running for Best Māori Male Solo Artist, Best Māori Songwriter, Best Music Video by a Māori Artist and Best Single by a Māori Artist.

The video and single nominations were for his 2019 single Cool Down, a collaboration with singer Stan Walker.

"It's an honour to be recognised at this level," Haapu said.

"That's the most nominations I've received at once, so it's quite humbling."

Haapu said his most recent single Ūkaipō was released in July.

"My real passion is working behind the scenes really, and I started a music service a while back called Kēhua Music, which means 'ghost' or 'spirit'.

"That really stems from the fact that I was doing a lot of ghost writing for other musicians, and preferring that creative process and presence in the background by allowing the artist to be at the forefront.

"To be honest, I think I'm more comfortable there [behind the scenes] than I am in the spotlight, and I've had some great opportunities over the years to write and produce for Maisey Rika, Stan Walker and Parris Goebel, as well as doing some stuff for film and television."

Haapu, who now lives in Auckland, said it was great to be able to release music in a time where it was "important to uplift and hopefully inspire others", and to continue to promote the diversity of Māori music.

"I love that initial process of having an idea and then growing it and seeing where it leads.

"It's almost a private moment, because you're really trying to discover what the song's about, and its intention and meaning.

"I feel that the early creative process is where the magic starts."

Haapu said he hoped to continue building relationships with fellow musicians and creatives as a songwriter and producer, but if he was "pushed back into the spotlight again", he would take it as a sign his story needed to be told too.

"Part of my journey is coming from home [Whanganui] and having those spaces of creativity.

"Those formative years really helped set up the position I'm in now, and coming from a smaller town I think there is a special thing about being left to your own devices, almost separate from external influences."