Māori & Samoan force Jamaica Moana brings her fierce edge to the social phenomenon that is Songs With Strings, collaborating with the quartet on her dance floor heater ‘TUGGAWAR’ taken from her recent debut EP, BUD & DENI. The now viral anthem – co-signed by SZA, Doja Cat and Sudan Archives – takes on a more dynamic edge, juxtaposing the hard hitting lyrics with the intricacies of the strings is now available digitally. The session was filmed in LA during her recent trip for SXSW, where she showcased as an official artist.
Speaking on the live session with Songs with Strings and wholesoul, Jamaica shares; “Working with Songs with Strings has been a dream I manifested quite quickly. In the lead up to our SXSW Austin trip, I wanted to maximise the potential of travelling so far! I was amazed at the content I had seen from Songs with Strings & I could see the vision of us coming together. A few zoom calls and IRL meetings later, I arrived to Community Goods Cafè at 9:30am ready to shoot the (now viral) TUGGAWAR X Songs With Strings X wholesoul music video on the streets of LA! I couldn’t be happier with the way this manifestation has taken form into an immense global growth of real-life Jamaica Moana supporters! The start of a new chapter with an expanded JM fan base. I’m super excited to show them all the next story in the book of JM!”
There’s no slowing down for Jamaica, with upcoming showcases at The Great Escape (UK), Reeperbahn Festival (Germany), and the Indian leg of her current world tour, all around the corner. These appearances follow her standout debut at Bangkok Music City last year, as well as her Best Live Act win at fbi.radio’s 2025 SMAC Awards.
Last year, Moana released her long-awaited debut EP, BUD & DENI. A bold voice across music and fashion, Jamaica Moana fuses her vibrant Māori and Samoan heritage with an unapologetic queer identity, creating a sound and presence that defy convention. With this debut project, she ushers in a transformative new chapter, BUD & DENI is not only a sonic rebirth, but a declaration of creative power.
Each track draws inspiration from Māori deities (Ātua), from earth and wind to ocean, sky, dance, and fire, tracing a powerful arc of self-discovery and creative awakening. The project features a stellar lineup of collaborators, including Milan Ring, Pookie, Jannah Beth, Maribelle (Vetta Bourne), and June Jones, alongside a show-stopping feature from Philadelphia ballroom legend Kevin Jz Prodigy. Together, they help cement Jamaica Moana’s place as one of the most exciting and boundary-pushing voices in contemporary music.
Jamaica will be appearing at The Great Escape at Komedia Studios at 3:10pm on Thursday 14th May and at 2am on Friday 15th May (Saturday morning). Check out the website for full details here.
Stream / download BUD & DENI here.
Stream / Download ‘TUGGAWAR (feat. wholesoul String Quartet)’ here.
