A still from the official music video for 685 - the song Toa Samoa fans have turned into an unofficial anthem. Image / YouTube
A still from the official music video for 685 - the song Toa Samoa fans have turned into an unofficial anthem. Image / YouTube
The Rugby League World Cup is shining a spotlight on talented Samoans - both on and off the field.
Victor J Sefo is the producer, singer and songwriter behind the hit jam 685, which has fast become the unofficial anthem of the Toa Samoa fandom happening around the world right now, as fans get behind the boys in blue ahead of the final this weekend.
The song - an ode to Samoa’s country code - has earned a top 10 spot in the iTunes NZ charts alongside industry heavyweights like Beyonce and Sam Smith.
The Napier-based artist connected with Aotearoa born and Apia raised rapper Poetik and West Sydney based musician and actor BIGGs685 laying vocals over the old school West Coast g-funk style beat.
Sefo, who hails from the villages of Siumu and Mulivai Safata, has kept 685 in his back pocket for almost half a decade; waiting to drop it in what he described as “God’s timing”.
Verses were added over the years after a chance meeting at the 2020 Pacific Music Awards, where Sefo won the award for Most Promising Artist.
“I saw Poetik and went straight up to him, put the phone to his ear and said: ‘Bro, listen to this beat’.
“He was like: ‘Bro. this is dope’,” says Sefo, who is an independent artist and the owner of Oceania Records.
The track was finally released a month ago and has taken the world’s Samoan diaspora by storm - particularly as Samoa’s rugby league team continued to succeed in the tournament.
But the attention has been a little overwhelming, he says.
“I push my Samoan side hard. It feels…I can’t explain it. Hearing it everywhere, even when I’m scrolling on TikTok and it’s like: ‘Damn’. I keep hearing my voice everywhere.”
Sefo attended celebrations in Māngere last weekend where he was recognised by excited fans, shaking his hand and blasting his song from their car sound systems.
685 to the world
“It’s a good feeling that people are representing 685. - 685 to the world,” he says - echoing what the Samoan community here in Aotearoa and around the world have chanted with pride since the beginning of the tournament.
But the artist has remained humble, saying that his parents are not completely aware of the degree of his stardom, with a massive online following and over 35 million streams under his belt.
“It’s just me and my parents here (in New Zealand) from my immediate family. The rest have moved to Australia.
Victor J Sefo pictured at the 2020 Pacific Music Awards - where he approached fellow Samoan artist Poetik.
“They don’t realise I play at festivals and my songs are here and there. One day they’ll come to a show.”
Fans have another track to add to their Toa Samoa playlists this morning as the 685 Remix is out on all streaming platforms.
Featuring Australian-based Samoan artists Lisi and Mwayz, the remix has a modern hip hop feel debuting at in the number 11 spot on YouTube’s trending music chart.
Sefo is heading to Australia for finals weekend, with performances at Toa Samoa fan parades in Sydney and Brisbane.
He will be watching the game in Goodna on Sunday morning.
“It’s gonna be professional vs heart. I feel like the boys are gonna play with their heart.
“But win or lose, we achieved, Samoa’s achieved a lot in this world cup. Made history. So regardless of the result, I’m still proud to be 685.”
