“Know your Rights” song awarded at Pacific music awards

02 june 2008

Winning a recording session with renowned music label Dawn Raid Entertainment fulfilled a dream for Hokimaianahera (Angell) Rosieur, after her heartfelt song about her partner's safety won a music competition.

Angell’s song was mixed and mastered at Dawn Raid’s studios after it won the “Write your Rights” competition organised by Pacific radio broadcaster Niu FM and the Department of Labour. The competition asked Niu FM listeners to create songs about keeping safe and healthy at work, and was part of New Zealand Music month.

Her winning entry was played to an audience of music industry heavy-weights, when she was presented with the award at the 2008 S³ Pacific Music Awards at the Telstraclear Events Centre on 31st May, 2008.

“Angell’s entry captures what this competition is about,” said Brotha D from Dawn Raid. “We had some great entries and it was hard to select a winner. However, Angell’s entry captures what this competition is about,” Brotha D said. “Angell is just another example of the talent that our young people have within our communities. Her award-winning song and the perspective she wrote about highlights the importance of keeping our families safe in a workplace.”

When Angell, 27, wrote her song “Know your Rights” - she was thinking about her partner, Reubin Popata, who works for power company North Power. “I think about his safety every day and I want him to think about it too.

“I used to work for North Power as well, in fact my entire family work there and my father is an HR manager. Safety is a big issue in the power industry, and it’s a big issue for our family. We want everyone to come home safe at night.”

The competition aimed to raise awareness of health and safety among Maori and Pacific workers, and young workers, said Bryce Fleury from the Department of Labour. “These groups are vulnerable to being injured at work, but often they don’t have much information about their rights. We hope people will listen to Angell’s song and it will remind them that everyone has a right to be safe at work.”

The competition struck a chord with Niu FM listeners and attracted a lot of very strong entries, said Sina Moore, CEO of Pacific Media Network. “We were blown away by the quality of the entries – well done everyone who entered.”

Angell’s song can be downloaded from the Department of Labour website (www.dol.govt.nz). The song will be included in a “Know your Rights” package of information that will be sent to all secondary schools in the country.

For more information contact:
Angell Rosieur, winner, 021 1114583
Frances Martin, Department of Labour, 027 44 22 141
Matt Tufuga, Niu FM, 021 648 187 

Editor’s Note
Hokimaianahera (Angell) Rosieur is a full-time parent to her three year old son and one year old daughter.  She’s always loved singing, and has completed short courses at Auckland Museum on Maori and Pacific performing arts. She lives in Manurewa and her family are Ngati Manuhiri.

The “Write your own Rights” competition invited Niu FM listeners to use Pacific beats and Hip Hop loops downloaded from the www.niufm.com and www.dawnraid.com websites, then added their own lyrics to create an original composition.