Manurewa High School student Sonatane Kaufusi has followed up the release of his debut single, ‘Birdie’ with a video made by Imaginary Friends.
 
The young Aucklander won the solo category in the 2017 Smokefreerockquest and took second place in the Smokefree Pacifica Beats competition with his band ‘Blessed’.
 
‘Birdie’ is a breezy, uplifting tune about “coping with stress and admiring the freedom that birds have” - a sentiment that’s reflected in the quirky and fun video, featuring some familiar Auckland beach scenes that accompany it.
 
Sonatane’s association with the Smokefree competitions began when he was in Year 9 and saw then fellow Manurewa High School pupil, Cam Dawson, make the national finals in 2014. Sonatane went on to enter SFPB and SFRQ, reaching the finals several years running, before taking the big prize in 2017.
 
As well as excelling in music, Sonatane is a talented athlete. He was selected for the Chiefs Ruby Development squad in 2016 and placed sixth in New Zealand for the Senior Boys Hammer throw at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Senior Boys National final in 2017.