Jordyn with a Why
| Jordyn with a Why | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Jordyn Rapana |
| Born | Jordyn Fuala'au Awatea Morgan 1992 or 1993 (age 32–33) Ōtara, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | |
Jordyn Fuala'au Awatea Rapana (née Morgan; born 1992/1993),[1] better known as Jordyn with a Why, is a R&B and neo-soul singer-songwriter from Raglan, New Zealand.[2][3][4]
She's been described as "Aotearoa's Indigenous sweetie lover girl" by CubaDupa, and her "ethereal R&B songs" have been praised by Rolling Stone.[5]
Outside of her music career, Rapana teaches full immersion te reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.[6]
Early life
[edit]Rapana was born in 1992 or 1993 and raised in South Auckland.[1][7] Her father was a pastor, and she grew up singing in church.[1][8]: 0:28
Rapana is of Māori and Samoan ancestry;[9] her father is Māori from Tainui Āwhiro, and her mother is Samoan from Mulifanua Lalovi, Falelatai, and Vaimoso.[3]
Career
[edit]She released her debut single, "Te Ao Mārama", in March 2021. She said she had "no intent" for a career in music, and had written the track as a way to help her personally process her experience of a miscarriage.[1]
"Te Ao Mārama" was followed by the release of her second single, "Brown Melodies", in 2022.
Her third single, 2023's "Raumati", was her first in te reo Māori. It came after Rapana, who grew up without speaking Māori, had spent the last five years immersing herself in the language, including using it as her second son's first language. "Ruamati" would go on to earn Rapana a nomination for the APRA Maioha Award at the 2023 Silver Scrolls.[4]
Her debut album Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice was released in 2024, and was ranked 28th best New Zealand album of the year by Rolling Stone Australia / New Zealand.[10] The album went on to earn Rapana nominations for Best Māori Artist, Mana Reo (for "Reia"), and People's Choice at the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards,[11] and went on to win the Recorded Music NZ Best Pacific Music Album at the 2025 Pacific Music Awards.[12]
Personal life
[edit]Rapana performs in both English and te reo Māori, and has spoken in favour of having more reo Māori music in mainstream spaces.[13] She learnt te reo Māori in 2019 by taking a year-long full immersion course at Te Wānanga Takiura;[1] she would go on to teach full immersion language classes at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.[6]
Rapana lives in Auckland with her husband and two sons.[1]
Discography
[edit]Studio albums
[edit]- Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice (2024)
Singles
[edit]| Title | Year | Peak chart positions[14] | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot 20 Aotearoa |
Top 10 Te Reo Māori | |||
| "Te Ao Mārama" | 2021 | 18 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Brown Melodies" | 2022 | 9 | — | |
| "Raumati" | 2023 | — | 5 | |
| "Don't Rush" with Te Kuru Dewes and Anna Coddington | 20 | 10 | ||
| "Hey Love" (feat. MOHI) | — | 9 | ||
| "Set... Go" (feat. MOHI and choicevaughan) | 12 | — | ||
| "Reia" | 2024 | 9 | — | Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice |
| "Māku Anō" (feat. MOHI) | 11 | — | ||
| "Hauora Melodies" | 2025 | 8 | — | Non-album singles |
| "Nekenekehia Te Aroha" with TAWAZ, Sid Diamond, and Chey Milne | 20 | — | ||
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Work(s) Nominated | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | APRA Awards | "Ruamati" | APRA Maioha Award | Finalist | [4] |
| 2024 | Aotearoa Music Awards | — | Best Māori Artist | Nominated | [15] |
| "He Rei Niho" | Mana Reo | Nominated | |||
| APRA Awards | "He Rei Niho" | APRA Maioha Award | Won | [16] | |
| 2025 | Aotearoa Music Awards | Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice | Best Māori Artist | Nominated | [11] |
| "Reia" | Mana Reo | Nominated | |||
| — | People's Choice | Nominated | |||
| Pacific Music Awards | Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice | Best Pacific Music Album | Won | [12] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Chumko, André. "Jordyn with a Why: Putting the 'why' in waiata". Sunday Star Times. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
- ^ Dewes, Te Kuru o te Marama (28 December 2022). "Māori music is hitting the mainstream and it's not by accident". The Spinoff. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ a b "NewTracks New Artist: Jordyn With A Why". NZ Musician. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ a b c Tang, Eda (11 August 2023). "APRA Maioha Award finalists include MOHI, Tuari Brothers and Jordyn with a Why". Stuff. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Lochrie, Conor (4 March 2024). "'INTROS' Episode Three: Georgia Lines Meets Jordyn with a Why". Rolling Stone Australia / New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ a b Cloher, Jen; Rapana, Jordyn (14 August 2025). "Everybody's Trying To Find Their Way Home". Everybody's Trying To Find Their Way Home. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Jordyn with a Why". NZ On Screen. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Lines, Georgia; Rapana, Jordan (4 March 2024). "Intros by Georgia Lines | Jordyn With A Why". YouTube. Rolling Stone Australia / New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Downs, Sarah (17 September 2024). "Song You Need to Know: Jordyn with a Why, 'Māku Anō'". Rolling Stone Australia / New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Lochrie, Conor (24 December 2024). "Jordyn with a Why, 'Hibiscus Moon, Love & Justice'". Rolling Stone Australia / New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ a b "News - Finalists for the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards Announced". NZ Musician. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ a b Downs, Sarah (22 August 2025). "2025 Pacific Music Awards Winners Announced". Rolling Stone Australia / New Zealand. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Stamp, Tony; Producer, Music Content (1 May 2024). "How do Kiwi musicians pay their bills?". Radio NZ. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
- ^ "Jordyn with a Why". Official Aotearoa Music Charts. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "News – Finalists for the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards". NZ Musician. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
- ^ Emhail, Isra'a (9 October 2024). "Silver Scroll 2024: Anna Coddington wins top prize for bilingual waiata". Radio NZ. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
External links
[edit]- Jordyn with a Why on Spotify
- Jordyn with a Why discography at MusicBrainz