With Kelly Clarkson praising his soulful “hell of a voice” and Queen Latifah admiring his brilliant smile as he stood on stage with his wife Kat and their kids, Kiwi singer Johnnie Kapua was so overwhelmed, he jokingly told the coaches of The Voice USA that he’d forgotten his name!
It was only while watching the footage afterwards that the moment sank in for the Utah-based Wellingtonian, 32, who’s of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Porou descent.
Johnny tells Woman’s Day, “I didn’t really think of myself as a singer, so to hear Kelly, one of the greatest singers, complimenting me, I thought, ‘Man, maybe I’m actually good at singing!’ It gave me more belief in myself.”
Although Johnnie, 32, rarely performed as a kid, he loved music and enjoyed kapa haka. His mum Adrienne worked multiple jobs raising him and his four older siblings while their dad Karewa was behind bars for a gang-related crime.
“I was brought up around my aunties and cousins, so it was fun,” he says.
“We were definitely poor, but everyone was in the same boat. We learned to be more resourceful.”
A new chapter begins
When Johnnie was 12, Karewa was released from prison, and Johnnie admired how his dad quit gang life to focus on fatherhood and get a job, despite being covered in tattoos.
Meanwhile, Johnnie accepted a university scholarship in Utah, where he studied project management and met Brazilian beauty Kat, 31, at a 2017 dance event.
“I’m not a good-looking dude, but the accent won her over,” he laughs.
When the Kiwi bloke asked for permission to propose to Kat, her dad Mauricio hilariously presented him with a bullet reading “Johnnie”, before giving his blessing. He popped the question as a violinist friend performed James Arthur’s Say You Won’t Let Go at a Christmas event in Salt Lake City, where they wed in 2018.
The lovebirds were still at uni when Kat became pregnant with their daughter Kiki, now seven, and they juggled study with work to make ends meet.
Johnnie recalls, “We’d go to my in-laws’ place on Sunday nights, then take home all the leftovers!”
Keeping his roots alive
The couple, who both work in cybersecurity sales, returned to Aotearoa for son Kenai’s birth five years ago and Kat was 32 weeks pregnant when she joined Johnnie in California for The Voice. She gave birth to their son Kaitiaki in July.
Johnnie smiles, “I’ve gone back to work now and I miss him all day.”
Johnnie wants their three kids to learn Portuguese and embrace Kat’s Brazilian heritage, and he plans to bring them back to Aotearoa to experience Māori culture
too. He already sings waiata with the youngsters, who love Kiwi music.
Johnnie recently attended Six60’s “awesome” gig in Baltimore and channels his idol Stan Walker while performing.
He says, “My culture’s a big part of how I view music because Māori sing with gratitude for those who have passed. I love soul music and singing with a purpose.”
Still, it wasn’t until Kat successfully submitted a clip of Johnnie covering a Sam Smith tune to the Kiwi podcast The Morning Shift that he had to admit he was good enough to apply for season 30 of The Voice.
Kelly fights to have him
Choosing the Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars duet Die With A Smile for his audition, Johnnie hoped to score Kelly as his coach, but he was torn after hearing about Queen Latifah’s passion for New Zealand.
He grins, “She loves the culture and goes home from work to listen to haka!”
Johnnie had only belted out one line of his song before Kelly, 44, spun her chair around.
As he crooned, “I’d wanna hold you just for a while,” she heckled, “Go ahead!”
“You sounded beautiful,” Latifah, 56, said later.
“Look at the smile – from New Zealand!”
Kelly added that Johnnie reminded her of the gorilla named Johnny from the animated movie Sing, explaining, “You sing with soulfulness, and have a different cadence to your vibe and style. I dig it. I also love New Zealand and have no idea why you left!”
The chart-topper then pushed her “first-in button” to secure Johnnie for her team, then quipped, “Sorry if I’m denying you the chance to work with Latifah, but I don’t care!”
Now Johnnie’s social media has been flooded by Kiwi fans.
He says, “Knowing people back home are backing me is the coolest feeling. Lots of messages are from M1aori people saying, ‘Bro, great job. Because you did that, I have a reason to pursue my dreams.’ Hearing people find inspiration from me has been the coolest part – well, apart from my kids’ reaction. “When my audition aired, my daughter goes, ‘Dad, I’m so proud of you. You’re amazing.’ She kept giving me kisses. I’ve already won just by making her proud.”
The Voice USA is now streaming on TVNZ+.
