Play It Strange Announces Winners of 2026 Waiata Māori Competition

Charitable Trust Play It Strange is proud to announce the winners of its 2026 Waiata Māori Competition, celebrating the next generation of rangatahi songwriters embracing and championing Te reo Māori through original music.

Now in its third year, the Waiata Māori Competition has reached another major milestone, receiving a record number of entries in 2026. The competition continues to encourage secondary school students from across Aotearoa to incorporate Te reo Māori into their songwriting – whether through a handful of kupu or an entire waiata. This year’s competition was judged by acclaimed artist Ria Hall and producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Noema Te Hau III, with an outstanding collection of original waiata showcasing the creativity, identity and storytelling of young people across the motu.

First place has been awarded to Meadow Mia of Hamilton Girls’ High School for her waiata, Poomaarie / Say Goodnight. Meadow impressed the judges with her original composition, earning this year’s top honour in a competition that attracted a record number of entries from talented young songwriters across Aotearoa.

As this year’s winner, Meadow receives a professionally recorded studio session for her winning waiata, a $500 MusicWorks voucher, a JBL BandBox Trio valued at $899, a one-on-one mentoring session with one of the competition judges, an artist development session with SOLE founder Sacha Vee, a radio interview and airplay on 95bFM, and the opportunity to perform at the annual Play It Strange Showcase.

Second place was awarded to Rau Huia of Rotorua Boys’ High School for his waiata, Ōku Manu I Te Rangi, while third place went to D’Angelo Maclaren of Long Bay College for his waiata, Whaiwhai. Alongside the winner, all finalists will receive a day in a professional recording studio to record their original waiata, continuing Play It Strange’s commitment to nurturing young songwriters and helping bring their music to life.

Judge Noema Te Hau III says the standard of entries made selecting this year’s winners incredibly difficult.

“I was blown away by the number of incredible waiata entered this year, which made choosing the finalists a seriously tough job. If you didn’t get through this time, kaua e māharahara, don’t be discouraged. Kia kaha, kia māia, and keep writing and sharing your unique voice. Be proud of what you created because this is just one moment in your songwriting journey, and I can’t wait to hear what you come up with next. Chur!”

Since launching in 2024, the Waiata Māori Competition has continued to grow each year, culminating in a record number of entries in 2026. The competition provides rangatahi with an opportunity to celebrate te reo Māori through original songwriting while building confidence, creativity and connection through music. It forms part of Play It Strange’s nationwide programme, which has supported young songwriters for more than two decades.

Established in 2003, Play It Strange has received more than 8,000 original song submissions from young New Zealanders, with over 1,600 songs professionally recorded. Its alumni include Kimbra, Georgia Nott (Broods), Liz Stokes (The Beths), CHAII, Louis Baker, Frankie Venter, Ratbag, Luca George, Thomston and many more.

This year’s Waiata Māori Competition has been made possible through the ongoing support of the Play It Strange community. To help ensure the competition can continue into the future, the organisation is hosting Play It Strange: Live at The Tuning Fork on Wednesday 26 August, bringing together performances from Paige, Nat Hutton (There’s A Tuesday), Rebel Reid, Lily Stiven, Salem Māhia and Cameron Beattie. Funds raised will directly support future Waiata Māori competitions, helping provide judging, mentoring and professional recording opportunities for young songwriters across Aotearoa.

Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix, with early bird tickets available until 31 July. Those unable to attend can also support the campaign by donating here to help Play It Strange reach its $10,000 fundraising goal and ensure the future of the Waiata Māori Competition.

All finalists will now become part of the wider Play It Strange alumni community, gaining access to performance opportunities, mentoring, ticket giveaways, backstage experiences, artist development opportunities and more throughout the year.

See the full list of finalists for the 2026 Play It Strange Waiata Māori Competition HERE.