Towards the end of each year, we compile a shortlist of artists and bands our team have appreciated in that year, and who we think deserve recognition for their talents and their musical output in those 12 months, via our annual “Best Of” feature.
One name that has cropped up to be worthy of consideration for that shortlist, from a few of the team here is alt-pop/r&b singer, songwriter and producer Lepani. We first came across him last year [2024] via YouTube; keeping tabs on the guy until we ran a short piece on him in our “Undiscovered Zone” in March this year.
Born in Fiji, brought up in New Zealand where he had a successful music career, signing to Sony Records for five years – with two EPs and a string of hit singles to his name. Lepani has won and been nominated for a slew of major awards back in New Zealand, including “Best Pacific Soul/R&B Artist” at the NZ Pacific Music Awards.
His videos have clocked up in excess of 10 million views, and his singles “Next To Me” and “Wait To Wake Me Up” have earned more than six million streams worldwide, resonating with audiences across New Zealand, Korea, Japan, and the U.S.
In 2022, his single “Tell You Something” reached #1 on the Official NZ Hot Singles Chart. He also co-wrote Kaylee Bell’s, “That Summer” (feat. Josh Mirenda), which reached #1 on NZ’s Top 20 Hot Singles Chart in 2021, and has since surpassed four million streams. In 2024, he also featured with Fijian group VT1S on their chart-topping single “Lauti Au”, and performed alongside them to a sold-out crowd at LIVE24 in Suva.
Coming from a musical family, 30-year-old Lepani has a wide range of inspirations from Ed Sheeran, Daft Punk, Elvis, Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran, Lauv and Khalid, plus many more.
Lepani has written and performed with artists and producers such as Stan Walker, Rob Ruha, Kaylee Bell, Nirob Islam, VT1S and more.
A year ago Lepani decided to take stock of his life and career and made the decision to go independent. If that was not a big enough decision; he married his partner Kirsty [a hospital physio], in March 2024 in New Zealand and then they moved to the UK.
Choosing to live in a city synonymous with famous music stars and a hot bed of red hot rising talent: Manchester. Lepani is now a full time songwriter, producer and singer, releasing his own music. He is signed to a major music publisher back in New Zealand [Big Pop], writing songs for other artists and for sync’ projects. This year he has also released a well received covers EP of pop-rock renditions of some of his favourite songs.
Lepani set himself a big challenge of writing a song a day for 30 days – publicised on social media and voted for by fans to be his first two 2025 releases. Strong tracks: “Young Guns” and “Y”.
His most recent single, “Never Meet Your Dreams” was premiered by BBC Introducing this month [November 2025]. The official video has been followed up by a brand new animated visualiser created by top anime animator Vann Obe, who worked on famed animations “One Piece” and “Naruto”.
So how does the first year of being an independent artist with no record label backing feel for Lepani? He is quick to respond to that question, with certainty and aptly in the wake of the new single “Never Meet Your Dreams”.
“My dreams changed. When I was younger my dream was to release hit singles, win awards, make the charts and have my songs played on radio. Then I signed a deal to a major record label.
“I was charting, my streams were in the millions, I won a major award and I was being played on radio stations, in supermarkets, in cafes. But zero money coming from it all. These days as an independent artist, the majority of my songs do not make massive streaming numbers.
“I have been reached out to by only one of the major radio stations that used to champion all of my music, and I am nowhere to be seen on any charts or any nominations of any kind.”
So why are you still doing this? “My dream changed and my only goal in music now is stability and finding a way to provide for my family through the art that I create. And the thing is, I have gotten [sic] closer to that goal in one year as an independent artist than I ever did five years with a major label. Even though I reached all those crazy goals I set out for all those years ago.
“So I am saying it is possible, but there are no magic shortcuts to success; no course or subscription to sign up to. I encourage anyone chasing their dreams and maybe starting out; or in a slump that I have been in many times, it is not a short easy road and for some of us it will require a lot of adjustment and re-adjustment. But you will get there if you work at it, and it is ok for your dreams to change along the way”.
His best advice to all music creatives based upon his own experience, and that taste of success and then the big decision to go it alone: “Don’t ever stop dreaming.”
“Never Meet Your Dreams” was written and produced in London and Manchester by Lepani, Dublin/London-based Liam Geddes [multi-platinum, #1 Billboard] and George Gleeson.
Lepani adds: “I spent years chasing this dream, thinking that once I finally reached it, everything would make sense, but when it actually happened it felt completely different. The pressure, the expectations, the constant push for the next thing. It took more from me than I expected and for a while I lost the spark that made me want this in the first place.
“The music video for ‘Never Meet Your Dreams’ was filmed in this forest in Normandy – there every day it looks different. Misty and cold in the morning, warm and golden when the light finally broke through, it reminded me of the contrast between how I thought achieving the dream would feel, and how it really did. This place was also a WWII memorial site, so being there gave the moment a different perspective; a reminder of resilience and of finding stillness.
“The song came from the feeling of searching, chasing something for so long that you finally get to it, you’re not sure who you are anymore. I hope it finds the people who need it. It is such a special song, sticking to the theme of learning from my younger self and finding my way through this insane career that is music!
“It’s a cinematic, high-energy alt-pop track inspired by the sonics of Jon Bellion. It’s about the bittersweet realisation of the gap between ambition and reality – the moment you start questioning whether chasing something bigger is worth what it costs.
So when did music come into your life and what inspired you to become an artist? “Music was a part of my life as long as I could remember, from singing in church, to singing with family at gatherings. Fijians, like a lot of Pacific Island families, will sing and play music every time we connect.
“At that age, I was inspired by Elvis, Michael Jackson, Abba… all shown to me by my parents. When I was 10, my cousin Jordan who I was really close to, passed away. The grief hit me hard, which led to me writing my first song about him. It was my way of trying to understand what I was feeling, and from then on, song writing became how I processed life.
“All through high school, I kept writing and performing. I formed a band with my best mates, called ‘Man Up!’, competed in talent quests and threw myself into music in any way I could. In my final year of college, I got cast as Jean Valjean in ‘Les Misérables’, which left me with a Troy Bolton dilemma (!!) as I was also in the 1st XV rugby team at school, and struggled to balance a life of sport and music, on top of school work.
“After graduating high school, I didn’t really know what I was doing with my life, so I worked night shifts to save up and buy bits of music equipment, then spent my days making songs at home. Eventually, all that groundwork paid off. In 2018, I signed my first record deal with Sony Music New Zealand, who I stayed with until 2023. Those years taught me a lot about the industry, about who I wanted to be as an artist, and the kind of music I wanted to make.”
In recent months, Lepani has collaborated with artists from South Korea, the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia, and he says: “That has really opened my eyes to how connected the music world can be when you just put yourself out there.” In late 2026, there will be an EP of originals and a full album is planned for 2027.
Since we launched almost nine years ago, Music Republic Magazine’s “Undiscovered Zone” has featured artists and bands who have been signed up to record deals and management contracts after they have been spotted from our coverage – often the first time any media has given them space.
So, my message to the A&R execs and serious management “suits” in the UK, and to the big league live music and festival promoters, is very simple: “Lepani is THE man to snap up before someone else beats you to it!”
Lepani is a Fijian name translated from the Hebrew name Laban, but in Fijian tradition, names are passed down through generations, and there is significance as to who you are named after.
He is named after his grandfather’s youngest brother, Lepani’s great-uncle, who was a famous bodybuilder in Fiji during the late 60’s. Well, Lepani is clearly intent on building a body of work to be proud of – but on his own terms.
Words & Exclusive Photos by Simon Redley
Thanks to Pete Oakley Music Burton-on-Trent [Venue for 2 x photos]
