Singer broke down cultural barriers

Pauly Fuemana shot to fame in 1995 with the single <i>How Bizarre</i>, which reached No1 in several countries including Australia, Canada and Ireland. Photo / NZ Herald

Musician Pauly Fuemana has been remembered as the man who broke cultural barriers and put South Auckland on the map for all the right reasons.

The 40-year-old died yesterday, shortly after 7am, at North Shore Hospital after a short illness.

He was surrounded by his wife and five children.

A member of the Otara Millionaires Club, he shot to world fame with the 1995 hit single How Bizarre, which reached No1 in several countries including Australia, Canada and Ireland.

Fuemana was last night remembered by friends and colleagues as one of Otara's greatest sons, who became an example for the dozens who followed his musical footsteps years after.

Writer/director Oscar Kightley praised Fuemana for breaking down "background barriers" and setting an example for kids from South Auckland.

"Just the fact that he was there, the fact that kids had already seen him out on the streets and then the next minute he was on Top of the Pops.

"He broke down all the background barriers and circumstances of a person - he was an example of somebody [like them] who made it."

Mr Kightley, a family friend, said Fuemana came from a "pretty awesome musical family".

He acknowledged Fuemana's brother - Phil Fuemana - a pioneer in New Zealand hip-hop circles, who established Urban Pasifika Records for hip-hop, reggae and soul artists in Otara.

He died, aged 41, of a heart attack in 2005.

Mr Kightley said Pauley Fuemana's passion and knowledge for music was still growing and he looked to be headed for more musical hits after releasing the single 4 All of Us with Lucy Lawless in 2007.

"He was more than How Bizarre - you can see that in the last single back in 2007. Man, he was pretty cool."

Brother Tony Fuemana, who runs Urban Pasifika Records, said his brother had given the world "a taste of what our style of music is".

"He went from nothing to having all this fame dumped on him and he was meant to cope with it all himself," he told One News.

Long-time friend Herman Lealaiauloto Sakaria, also known as the rapper Ermehn, said Fuemana's death was a huge shock to the music industry.