PANIA on R&B, Expectations and Refusing the Script

Māori-Indian R&B artist PANIA is done waiting for permission. Raised in West Melbourne on a steady diet of Missy Elliott, Tupac and early-2000s R&B, she’s part of a new wave reshaping what Australian music sounds and looks like. As she prepares to perform at VIVID 2025, PANIA joins Suhayla Sharif on SBS Spice to talk about chasing a career no one around her imagined — and why her songs don’t need to “represent” anyone but herself. From singing with Coldplay to filming Pity Party at her family’s marae, she’s making space on her own terms and inviting others to do the same. Full episode now streaming, wherever you get your podcasts.