Sina

aka Sina Saipaia, Sister Zina, Zina


It was a voice and a face that went around the world. As Sister Zina, Sina provided the insanely catchy vocal hook that that helmed the chorus of OMC’s 1997 US No.1 ‘How Bizarre’ and its follow up, ‘Right On’. But, despite the offers that followed, she walked away.

Sina Saipaia grew up in Otara, South Auckland, and first started singing in her family church, initially in prayer sessions but she soon graduated to the church choir and solo spots. Around the age of 14 she met another local Otara teenager, Pauly Fuemana, and through him was introduced to the new Otara Musical Arts Centre (OMAC), where Pauly’s older brother, Phillip Fuemana, was working towards establishing a creative home for the many young Otara musicians.

Sistermatic - Benny Staples, Koi-Ski, Sina Saipaia, Syd Pasley, Mark Clare
Preparing for a photoshoot, 1997
Don't Be Shy, No. 2 in 1998 and certified gold
Photo session outtakes from 1998
Photo credit: Photo by Karl Pierard
Sina - Don't Be Shy (1998)
OMC - Right On (1996)
Sistermatic, 1988
Photo credit: Photo by Murray Cammick
The Right On video shoot, with OMC's Pauly Fuemana
The original unreleased album cover from 1999
Photo credit: Design SGNY
OMC - How Bizarre (1995)
OMC in Perth, WA, on the January 1995 Big Day Out tour, with Australian group Vision Four 5. Back row: Alan Jansson (OMC producer), Noel Burgess (Vision Four 5), Sina Saipaia (OMC), Terry Booth (OMC soundman), Jeremy Toomata (OMC); front row: Peewee Ferris (DJ), Tim Gruchy (Vision Four 5), Ben Suthers (Vision Four 5) and Harry Tampopoo (OMC). In front is Pauly Fuemana.
Photo credit: Photo by Alister Ferguson. Thanks to Tim Gruchy.
The cover of the 2017 issue of Sina's album
Trivia:

It was Sina's "Oh baby, you're making me crazy" that US radio pluggers played to radio programmers in the US in 1997 to clinch playlist adds for OMC's No.1 smash 'How Bizarre'.

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