A student band has proved their doubters wrong, winning the 2026 Amplify Battle of the Bands competition and a studio recording with Alchemix Studios as part of their first step in achieving their dreams.
Marsden State High School band “The Everythings” includes vocalists Keisha-Anne Saluni, Harry Nansen and Summer Blu Te Mete Hakaria, pianists Kenai Wetere and Philyrah Savea, bassist Blessing Jeremiah Milo, drummer Hugo Tuia and guitarist Christian Apulu.
The group formed in their Year 9 Music class and have not looked back.
Their win at the Amplify Battle of the Bands at the Logan Entertainment Centre on 5 September, came off an ambitious live arrangement of Bobby Brown and Beyoncé’s Crazy In Love – especially when the band only learned their Bobby Brown tribute three weeks before the competition.
“If we were to be honest, we were actually really underprepared,” one band member said.
Pianist Ms Savea said: “For the Bobby Brown tribute, we’ve actually never played it all together until that night”.
Guitarist Mr Apulu said the band split into two groups to learn the piece.
“Something that helped us learn that song really fast was that we broke into two separate groups, the vocalists and instrumentalists, so it was easier for us to learn our parts,” Mr Apulu said.
Vocalist Mr Nansen credited their school for playing a major role in getting them to the stage.
“They provided us with the equipment, provided us with the practice rooms, supervised us while we were practicing, and they even let us go into after-school practices and during lunch,” Mr Nansen said.
Vocalist Ms Saluni said some people had called them “The Nothings”, so winning the whole competition proved their doubters wrong.
“We are very ourselves. We are very loud. We are very fun, and I think people get threatened by that, so for us to win, it’s truly an honour,” Ms Saluni said.
All seven band members are in Year 12 and, while graduation is on the horizon, the band has no plans to slow down.
They’ve already entered the JMC Music School of Brisbane’s national schools competition, and will be performing at the Marsden State High School Certificate III Music Showcase at the Kingston Butter Factory on Thursday 29 October.
Ms Saluni hopes their win encourages more Māori and Pacific Islanders to follow a similar path, as all their band members come from Māori and Pasifika backgrounds.
“I think that more Māori and Pasifika people should be in bands as well, as it goes to show our talent, and there are more people like us who have the talent,” she said.
Book tickets to the showcase via Logan Arts.
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