{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use New Zealand English|date= October 2023}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Matthew Saunoa | image = | alt = | caption = | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1986}} | birth_place = Papatoetoe, New Zealand | origin = | instrument = | genre = Pop | occupation = | years_active = 2006–2007 | label = Shock | website = }} '''Matthew Saunoa''' (born 1986) is a New Zealand pop singer who rose to musical fame as the winner of the third season of ''New Zealand Idol'' in 2006. After winning the third season, his winner's single, "Hold Out" topped the New Zealand Singles Chart, however it did not secure Saunoa an album contract with Sony Music. In 2007 he appeared on ''Pop's Ultimate Star''. He has experienced drug and alcohol addiction, and in 2023 he was imprisoned for over six years for injuring a police officer in a deliberate hit-and-run.
==Early life== Saunoa was born in Papatoetoe, Auckland. His mother is English and his father is Samoan. He attended De La Salle College, where he was a lead singer at school events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/pops-ultimate-star/matt-saunoa-1122843 |title=Pops Ultimate Star |publisher=Television New Zealand |accessdate=8 February 2011}}</ref> Before appearing on ''Idol'', he worked as a builder in Levin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10408251 |title=Yesterday's reject voted today's ''Idol'' |first= James |last=Ihaka |work=The New Zealand Herald |publisher=APN News & Media |date=30 October 2006 |accessdate=8 February 2011}}</ref> Saunoa relocated to the Gold Coast in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/810136 |title=It's a life on the road for NZ Idol star |publisher=Stuff. Fairfax New Zealand |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023104048/http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/810136 |archivedate=23 October 2012 |date=26 January 2009 |accessdate=8 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==''New Zealand Idol''== Saunoa unsuccessfully auditioned for the initial season of ''New Zealand Idol'' in 2004. After the birth of his first son, Saunoa tried again and was accepted onto the show.<ref name="AMG"/>
On 17 October 2006, betting agency Centrebet announced their final-week prediction that Saunoa would win the competition, with his odds at $1.66 and runner up Indira Moala's at $2.10.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0610/S00155.htm |title=NZ Idol Title Betting: Matt Odds on to Beat Indira |publisher=Centrebet |date=17 October 2006 |accessdate=11 February 2011}}</ref> However, before the finale began, the odds moved to put Moala as the favourite to win.<ref>{{cite news|title=Matt makes his mark as NZ's idol |work=The Dominion Post |publisher=Fairfax New Zealand |date=30 October 2006 |page=2}}</ref> Along with the 'New Zealand Idol' title, he won NZ$50,000 cash, a Daihatsu Terios, a holiday in Rarotonga and recording contract.<ref name="somebody"/><ref name="home">{{cite news|title=Idol Matt's a home boy |work=Sunday News |publisher=Fairfax New Zealand |date=5 November 2006 |first=Ellen |last=Davies}}</ref> Saunoa shared some of the prize money with Moala, and sold the Tarios to raise money for a deposit on a house purchase to provide security for his family.<ref name="home"/>
==After ''NZ Idol''== Saunoa performed his winner's single, "Hold Out", on the finale of ''New Zealand Idol'' on 29 October 2006. Written by James Reid of The Feelers,<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/matt-saunoa-p1027818/biography |title=Matt Saunoa – Biography |first=Jody |last=Macgregor |publisher=AllMusic |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220608052703/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/matt-saunoa-p1027818/biography |archivedate=8 June 2022 |accessdate=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> it was released for purchase by Shock Records on 31 October 2006,<ref name="somebody">{{cite news|title=Wannabe idol returns a somebody |first=Key |last=Blundell |work=The Dominion Post |publisher=Fairfax New Zealand |date=31 October 2006 |page=5}}</ref> with a download available on 6 November.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.digirama.co.nz/albumdetails.aspx?MediaID=554986 |title=Hold Out (Single) |publisher=Digirama |accessdate=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070211082531/http://www.digirama.co.nz/albumdetails.aspx?MediaID=554986 |archivedate=11 February 2007 }}</ref> The song debuted on the New Zealand Singles Chart at number one the day of its digital release, and remained on the chart for twenty-three weeks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Matt+Saunoa&titel=Hold+Out&cat=s |title=Matt Saunoa – Hold Out |publisher=charts.nz. Hung Medien |accessdate=8 February 2011}}</ref> "Hold Out" was also used as TV One's theme tune in the summer of 2006–07.<ref name="dark"/> However, due to the low sales of the song, Saunoa did not secure a contract to record a studio album.<ref name="AMG"/>
The following year, Saunoa contested the reality television show ''Pop's Ultimate Star'', and came third, with TrueBliss singer Joe Cotton and ''New Zealand Idol'' season two runner-up Nik Carlson receiving first and second places, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/pops-ultimate-star/grand-final-1247915 |title=Pops Ultimate Star – The grand final |publisher=Television New Zealand |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103213206/http://tvnz.co.nz/pops-ultimate-star/grand-final-1247915 |archivedate=3 November 2009 |accessdate=11 February 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Kapitan">{{cite news |last1=Kapitan |first1=Craig |title=Name suppression lifts for ex-NZ Idol champ Matthew Saunoa, who seriously injured police officer |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/crime/name-suppression-lifts-for-ex-nz-idol-champ-matthew-saunoa-who-seriously-injured-police-officer/7OKYHB5GLVAB3MSKM3EE55XVOU/ |access-date=18 October 2023 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=18 October 2023 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
As "Hold Out" was Saunoa's only solo musical release, Saunoa felt guilty for not making more of his ''New Zealand Idol'' title, and for letting his supporters down.<ref name="dark"/> In an interview with the ''Manawatu Standard'' in 2010, Saunoa stated, "I got to release a single, and that was it. I just felt I was left to rot. After climbing what seemed an impossible mountain it felt like I had fallen and landed flat on my face."<ref name="dark">{{cite news|title=Dark time over, now it's sweet |first=Warwick |last=Rasmussen |work=Manawatu Standard |publisher=Fairfax New Zealand |page=21 |date=6 February 2010}}</ref> However, in 2009, Saunoa formed a band with Lionel Nelson, formerly of Herbs, and Melaanie Viether. The group, named Brown Suga, began performing at the Gold Coast, in Australia.<ref name="dark"/> Of the collaboration, Saunoa said, "We work really well together and I get to do a lot of solo stuff...Being with Kiwi people and other Polynesian people, I don't know, something really clicks."<ref name="dark"/> Around this time, he moved to Mudgeeraba with his partner and children.<ref name="dark"/>
==Convictions== Saunoa has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction since his teenage years.<ref name="Sommerville">{{Cite web |last=Sommerville |first=Troels |date=2023-10-18 |title=Former NZ Idol winner Matthew Saunoa jailed for nearly killing police officer in hit and run |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/133142808/former-nz-idol-winner-matthew-saunoa-jailed-for-nearly-killing-police-officer-in-hit-and-run |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=Stuff |language=en}}</ref> In 2020, Saunoa was sentenced to 13 months' imprisonment in Australia for various drug-related and property offences. He was deported from Australia after serving his sentence.<ref name="Kapitan"/>
On 18 October 2023, Saunoa was jailed in New Zealand for six years and seven months after he committed a deliberate hit-and-run and caused serious injuries to a police officer who was trying to stop him during a November 2021 car chase.<ref name="Kapitan"/><ref name="Sommerville"/> Saunoa had pled guilty to aggravated grievous bodily harm, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, burglary and other motor vehicle offences relating to the chase.<ref name="Sommerville"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunoa, Matthew}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Idols (TV series) winners Category:New Zealand pop singers Category:New Zealand Idol participants Category:People from Levin, New Zealand Category:Musicians from Auckland Category:21st-century New Zealand male singers