Pacific Break 2025: Meet the judges

Australia Broadcast Center

4 days ago

The judges for Pacific Break 2025 have been announced.
PNG-born Australian musician Ngaiire will rejoin the team with ABC Radio Australia music presenters Hau Lātūkefu (In The Fale) and Sose Fuamoli (Sista Sounds and On The Record), WOMADelaide Associate director Annette Tripodi, along with new judge Joji Malani, Fijian-born musician and solo artist of Gang of Youths fame.
Hau Lātūkefu
Hau Latukefu currently hosts In The Fale. ( Supplied )
With more than 30 years as the frontman for ARIA award-winning Australian hip-hop duo Koolism, and now a record label owner and well-known radio host, Hau Lātūkefu has lived on all sides of the music world.
Hau was born in Australia to Tongan parents, which gave him access to two cultures to draw from when it came to writing lyrics and performing them on stage. His heritage plays an important part in who Hau is as a person, an artist, a cultural leader and a mentor.
Nowadays, Hau hosts ABC Radio Australia's music program In The Fale, a coming together of his Tongan heritage, laid-back vibes and tremendous knowledge and taste in Pacific music.
"The talent pool in our neck of the woods is so deep. It always has been. We just need the opportunities for our musicians the talent to be seen and to be heard," Lātūkefu said.
"That's why it's so important for something like Pacific Break to exist so the rest of our region and the world can hear the beauty that we hear. I'm super excited for this year to kick off!"
Sose Fuamoli
Sose Fuamoli hosts On The Record and Sista Sounds. ( ABC )
Sosefina Fuamoli is an award-winning Samoan-Australian music journalist, broadcaster, and content producer based in Melbourne, Australia.
Her career reflects a deep commitment to promoting Australian music and fostering a diverse musical culture. Sosefina's work has also had a significant professional impact on the Australian and Pacific music industries, shaping media narratives, representation, and industry access for under-represented artists and communities. Sosefina's work has been featured in a number of titles including Rolling Stone Australia, NME, The Australian, KNOTFEST and more.
She has twice won Music Journalist of the Year at the National Live Music Awards, as well as winning the Emerging Talent — Audio award at the 2024 AIBs (Association of International Broadcasting) in London.
Sosefina currently hosts ABC Radio Australia's weekly music shows On The Record, a deep-dive into the stories behind the music that has made and impacted artists from across the Pacific and diaspora, and Sista Sounds; a music show dedicated to celebrating emerging and established female music talent from across the Pacific region. As of 2025, she can also be seen regularly on television as a music correspondent for ABC News Breakfast.
"It is exciting to see the return of Pacific Break for 2025!" she said.
"In previous years we have seen how both winners and finalists have benefited from the radio, television and social support of the competition and I look forward to meeting this year's class of nominees and seeing who takes out the top honour for 2025."
Ngaiire
Ngaiire has performed with some of Australia's biggest names. ( Supplied )
Papua New Guinea-born, Australian-based artist Ngaiire is an ARIA Award-nominated singer-songwriter who has had immense success in the Australian and international music scene for over 20 years.
Ngaiire was first introduced to mainstream audiences on Australian Idol in 2004 and has since gone on to perform with some of Australia's biggest names and on some of Australia's most important stages, including a recent sold-out show with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House.
Ngaiire boasts a unique style and sound, blending her cultural roots and connection to Papua New Guinea with incredible vocals, musicality and songwriting.
Joji Malani
Joji Malani — Fijian-born musician and solo artist formerly with Gang of Youths. ( Supplied. )
Joji Malani has built a presence in the Australian music industry through his work as a guitarist, artist, producer, label founder, and cultural advocate with deep roots in the Fijian and Pacific Island communities. As a founding member of the ARIA-winning band Gang of Youths, Malani helped shape a generation of Australian indie rock through his musicianship and global touring experience.
In recent years, he transitioned from performer to a broader industry role, focusing on creating sustainable pathways for diverse voices within the Australian music landscape. Central to this mission is Broth Records, the independent label he founded to platform emerging artists with a strong emphasis on Pasifika representation and long-term career development.
Malani brings a culturally grounded perspective to his work, advocating for respectful and authentic representation of Indigenous and Pacific communities in the arts. His background, both as a Fijian-Australian and a seasoned performer, informs his holistic approach to the music business — prioritising long-term impact, cultural responsibility, and meaningful support over surface-level visibility.
"Pacific Break has played an important role in showcasing talent from across the Pacific in a way no other competition has done before," he said.
"There is a unique sophistication within our cultures — deeply rooted yet universally relatable — and Pacific Break provides a platform to share that with the world.
"I'm humbled to contribute, even in a small way, to this important movement."
Annette Tripodi
Annette Tripodi is an associate director at WOMAD. ( Supplied )
WOMADelaide is one of Australia's most celebrated annual music festivals.
Associate director Annette Tripodi has played key roles at WOMAD festivals in the UK, USA, Singapore, NZ and Chile, and her extensive music industry experience over the years has given her an ear for recognising the next wave of new talent.