Pacific artists band together for Cyclone Gita victims

Two Auckland-based Pacific artists have initiated a relief concert to help the island nations affected by Cyclone Gita.

Swiss and his wife Tree Vaifale were prompted to band together Pacific artists and use their talents to help out communities recovering in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

The cyclone that tore through the South Pacific last month left many people without homes and with limited water and power.

Swiss says the One For The Pacific concert is the least they can do to help their homelands.

"It just hits close to home with myself being Tongan and my wife being Samoan. The biggest thing for us was to try and help out in whatever way possible, whether it's $5 or $5000," he says.

"We're always going to try and put something together and we just managed to pull together an awesome team."

The acts include award-winning artists Three Houses Down, King Kapisi, Annie Grace and Erakah. 

Swiss says most Pacific artists they've reached out to have jumped on board.

"Some of them are New Zealand-born and some of them haven't even been to the islands but I think it's just being Islanders, we all sort of gather together and help out whoever's in need."

All proceeds will go directly to New Zealand Red Cross who will distribute it to Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.

The concert will be held on April 11 at the Trusts Arena, Henderson.