'Seth Haapu' Returns with New Single 'Ranginui'
Award-winning artist and psychologist Seth Haapu (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) returns with his latest single “Ranginui” — a Pacific Soul meditation on acceptance, healing, and release through atua pūrākau (ancestral narratives).
Named after the sky father whose tears fall as rain, Ranginui moves from intimate, stripped-back verses into a soaring R&B soundscape, where taonga pūoro and modern soul textures intertwine. Written and produced by Haapu, and co-produced by Noema Te Hau, the song continues his kaupapa of using waiata as rongoā (healing medicine) — an approach grounded in both artistry and lived experience.
“I wrote this during a difficult season of change,” says Seth Haapu “When it rains, it pours — and I couldn’t pretend otherwise. Reading about our atua reminded me that sound itself was born from the desire to transform. Looking to Ranginui, I realised healing isn’t about stopping the rain; it’s about trusting the cycle.”
Currently completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland, Seth's thesis Te Oro Oranga explores waiata as a healing practice for rangatahi Māori. Through his dual roles as composer (Kēhua Music) and researcher, he continues to treat sound not just as creative expression, but as rongoā — music as medicine.
As a producer, Seth has collaborated with artists including Whirimako Black, Stan Walker, TEEKS, and Maisey Rika, earning both the APRA Maioha Award (2021) and Best Hip Hop & R&B Album at the Waiata Māori Music Awards (2024).
Ranginui marks the beginning of a new chapter for Seth, offering the first glimpse into his forthcoming 2026 album — a continuation of his exploration into transformation, spirituality, and sonic healing.
The single is distributed by DRM NZ and supported by Te Māngai Pāho.
About Seth Haapu
Seth Haapu is an award-winning artist, producer, and psychologist whose work explores the deep connection between sound, identity, and healing. Through Kēhua Music, he has collaborated with leading Māori artists and earned recognition from the Waiata Māori Music Awards. Currently completing a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland, Seth’s research thesis Te Oro Oranga examines waiata as rongoā — music as a form of healing for rangatahi Māori. His latest single, Ranginui, embodies this kaupapa, blending taonga pūoro and contemporary soul to reflect his belief that true healing comes not from stopping the rain, but from trusting the cycle.