Gig Review: Ladi6 @ San Fran, Wellington – 28/06/2025

Karoline Park-Tamati (AKA Ladi6) has been described as the magnetic and effortlessly cool icon of Pacific neo-Soul. She first began in her late teens and is still very much on form in her middle years, still proudly flying the flag for roots, Ōtautahi and Samoa. We all know how she’s cousin to Scribe and Tyra Hammond, and a founding member of Sheelahroc, the motu’s original all female hip-hop crew. Songs such as Diamonds, Walk Right Up and Like Water are beyond iconic and deserve pride of place on every Kiwi’s party playlist.

Liberation, both emotionally and in musical terms has been a constant theme ever since she dropped her first, the Time Is Not Much album in 2008. But making music in Aotearoa has not been smooth sailing by any stretch. Medical, financial and whānau challenges have complicated her musical journey.

Le Vā returns Ladi6 after a harrowing 7-year hiatus, as a tribute to her late mother, Fuarosa. In Samoan, the term ‘Le Vā’ can refer to the physical or relational space between people, things, or even between people and the environment. I love that concept because it forces you to think a little bit more spiritually and concentrate more on the importance of relationships and quality connections. I think that was the vibe I felt in the room tonight as we all took a deep dive into that sacred space between the world of the living and the place of passed lives.

Understanding how Ladi6 got to this place involves a little investment into her background. Following the release of Royal Blue 3000 in 2017, she underwent critical surgery for polyps that threatened to end her singing career.

During Lockdown, her mother Fuarosa, died and the whānau were denied the opportunity to give her a full and traditional send-off due to the restrictions at the time.

Brought up by parents who were heavily involved in volunteer and community support work she’s always been interested in helping others. Ladi6 led herself into a psychology degree at AUT University and is now focussed on postgraduate study in counselling. Her Kaupapa, to walk alongside others through their own pain.

2017’s Royal Blue 3000 was dedicated to her late cousin Lils3000, 2010’s The Liberation Of has tributes to various lost whānau, but her latest offering Le Vā is more centred on the long-lasting impact of her mother’s passing, the gap she left in her whānau.

While earlier material had a funky, soulful, jazzy flow, the new album – produced by Brent ‘Parks’ Park (her partner in life and music), and firm friends Julien Dyne and Bharu (Brandon Haru) goes for a more angular, modular sound with textures, sound clips, sampled snippets and experimental beats.

So, tonight we hear a real mix between the unknown, the well-known, the safe and the soaring. Everything gels with the audience, who are predominantly longtime supporters. They laugh and cry alongside. They feel the pain and offer up hope and encouragement. They get it.

I tell you all this because I’m in awe of her strength, resilience and positivity. It sets up the night for a set of inspiration and good vibes. Matariki has just passed, so my mind has been honed on remembering those that have gone before us and looking forward to what’s to come. I felt tonight’s gig fitted perfectly into that.

Local rapper, Kahu, got the crowd warmed up, beckoning us forward so he could admire how “attractive” we all were. He was a hometown boy who’d never dreamed he’d get the chance to perform on Ladi6’s tour, he told us. Consequently, he was fizzing. I’d got that from the moment I met him briefly just before going on.

Much of his material came from his new release, Ferrari. Rhymes came thick and fast, as did the banter, pumping out material that drew on the style of rappers like Eminem, etc. but just a little less of the agro. Still the volume knobs remained up to 11.

In the set, which varied between driving beats, jazzy and schmoozing, and even funky tunes, I heard Whare Putea, Lord Tama, Nothin’ In Common, Circus and Who Is Crazy plus his latest banger Tea. It wasn’t long before the front rows were all bopping along in respect and support. Yes, there was a good selection of whanau and friends but also so converts as well. I really enjoyed the energy and good vibes emanating from the stage. This man is one to watch, I reckon.

San Fran’s stage is just a little bit overwhelmed by the Ladi6 set of portable animated neon hazard triangles and mini searchlights, which provide a bit of an illuminated backdrop to Ladi6, whilst Parks and Bharu stay well back behind their decks and techno-toys. I’m always fascinated how mixing samples live create the soundtrack to these songs, which were all unique and superbly crafted. They all carried beats, drops, soundscapes and tone-mixes I’d never heard or considered before. That made even the slower tunes and the more well-known tracks invigorating and fresh.

They kick off, expectedly with a dedication song, Fuarosa, followed by a moody rendition of Zoom and uplifting Haters Down (all from the new album). In comes a slightly faster rendition of Hold Tight To Me, followed by a starker Royal Blue, a smooth Ready To Fly and Ikarus and slinky feel on Shine On. All, but Royal Blue, being from 2013’s Automatic.

I was not surprised to see how the melancholy LightBulb, from Le Vā fitted in so well with the sentiments, Kaupapa and beats of the earlier material.

And speaking of which, it was time to lift the spirits. The almost sold-out crowd got their groove on when the crowd-pleaser Like Water came up. Stripped back to its essentials, it worked just fine judging by the number of hands in the air and smiles on the dials. That continues with a couple of my favs, like Beffy and Diagonals and the 80’s tech-tonics of Alofa (which is from the new LP).

“If you are with us,” Ladi6 calls out, “You’ll know what to do. Say ‘Ladi’, yeah!” We all call back, arms swaying in time, left to right.

An interesting key change reveals Hours, which was an up-tempo soul collab between Julien Dyne and Ladi6. Minus the man tonight, this is an interesting diversion which would have been even cooler if Dyne had been there on a drum kit – imagine the storm he could whip up around this one!

Late in the set, Parks and Bharu get busy on duelling decks to create some sparse space age beats to introduce one of the liveliest moments on a new cut called Under It, which moves the people again.

Of course, it was inevitable we’d finish on Walk Right Up, being one of her major hits. By now the room is moving like a unified carpet of heads and shoulders in the flashing neon lights.

There’s plenty of thanks from the stage, and a great sharing of aroha all round before a quick encore of Guru (from the latest) and another classic banger, Diamonds rounds off the night.

It was said and is true, every time Ladi6 comes to the Capital, we all come out in support. That was the same tonight. There’s love and support in the room again.

Tonight was all about celebrating both the album (a 7-year mission) and lives loved, lost and well lived.

There were moments I was bopping up and down like a teenager. I swayed in time to my favs from the back catalogue. Sometimes I hugged my beer and looked at the floor in deep contemplation. But often I was brought to tears as I listened, thinking of my own father, who’d passed away 6 years ago, but was still standing next to me, foot tapping to the beat. We were promised a tour infused with gratitude, and a thank you to the loyal community that has walked alongside her for over two decades.

I definitely think we got that.

 

Photo Credit: Nina McMillin for Muzic.NZ
Ladi6 Photo Gallery
Kahu Photo Gallery