🇻🇺 Mantis Wins Pacific Break 2025

Mantis from Vanuatu has been named as the winner of Pacific Break 2025, the biggest song contest in the Pacific.

Mantis has won Pacific Break 2025 for Vanuatu with the song “Watherman”. The rapper performed his song in Bislama, French, and English and won over the jury to become this years winner. Mantis is the second artist from Vanuatu to win the competition, following in the footsteps of 26 Roots who won the inaugural edition in 2008. Reacting to his victory he told ABC Pacific:

For hip-hop and rap artists from Vanuatu, I hope that this will be a stepping stone in developing our music scene here and the industry,

The winner of Pacific Break 2025 will go on to perform at WOMADelaide, Australia’s largest international festival of music, arts and dance. Mantis was chosen as the winner by a jury formed of:

• Joji Malani –  Australian-based Fijian artist and label head
• Ngaiire – Papua New Guinea born Australian singer
• Annette Tripodi – WOMADelaide Associate Director
• Hau Lātūkefu – ABC Radio Australia presenter
• Sose Fuamoli – ABC Radio Australia presenter

You can listen to his winning song below:

The finalists in this years competition were:

•  Fiji – Francisco Bhagwan and Kali Tui – “Hanging On A Star”
•  Papua New Guinea – Darkaside – “Decade of Crisis”
•  Papua New Guinea – Jay Sint – “Too Wavy”
•  Papua New Guinea – Kazibuda – “Enlighten Yourself”
•  Papua New Guinea – Mereani Masani – “Melanesian Queen”
•  Papua New Guinea – Raylinda – “Somebody Like Me”
•  Samoa – JustEscape95 – “Let Go”
•  Solomon Islands – Amoray x Ozlam – “On One”
•  Solomon Islands – Bibao – “Believer”
•  Vanuatu – Mantis – “Weatherman”

Pacific Break

Pacific Break is the largest music competition in the Pacific region, it is open to unsigned artists living in the Pacific and Timor-Leste. The contest is organised by ABC Pacific and has been held since 2008, it returned in 2022. The past winners are:

• 2008 – Vanuatu – 26 Roots – “Broken Promises”
• 2009 – Papua New Guinea – Emmanuel Mailau – “Children”
• 2010 – Solomon Islands – III Kings – “You Alone Me Magnify”
• 2011 – Fiji – BSQ – “Rue Ele Ele remix”
• 2012 – Cook Islands – Jaik Berg – “My Oh My”
• 2022 – Papua New Guinea – Danielle – “Fight”
• 2023 – Fiji – Ju Ben – “Sema Mai”
• 2024 – Solomon Islands – Chris Kamu’ana Rohoimae – “Naratana manu”
• 2025 – Vanuatu – Mantis – “Weatherman”

Image Source: Mantis | Source: ABC Pacific