'Stellar' is how the Wihongi family describe Ngāti Kahungunu's Keala Settle when she takes to the mic singing Greatest Showman hit, This Is Me. The Māori-Mexican whānau made a night of watching the 2018 Oscar Awards after learning their friend, and voice behind This Is Me would be performing the single at the ceremony.
Jodi Wihongi told his nephew and Māori TV reporter Pere Wihongi who is in Utah with the family, "I don't think enough people know that she is Māori, or even if they did they don't know what a Māori is and it's awesome that someone like that step into the spotlight, and she was stunning and that performance was stellar."
In awe of Keala's efforts, the Wihongi whānau sang This is Me for Kawekōrero while they gathered around the couch watching the Oscars, lead by Julia Wihongi.
"This is another win by them and Keala's performance of it was stellar, she's one in a million. No one could have done this song better and I think that she delivered it beautifully and the message was very important and powerful and it was incredible," says Julia Wihongi.
The single was up for an award but in the end, the Oscar for best song was won by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez for their composition of Remember Me. Winner or not, Monica Zarate-Wihongi says Keala's performance no matter where she is, is like nothing else.
"Seeing her performance was like nothing else and every time you see her sing it you just feel it and you can tell that it's just coming from somewhere really authentic inside."