Ilanda
| Company type | Vocal harmony and dance ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Leighton Hema, Frank Laga'aia, Lennie Keller, Norman Keller |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia, New Zealand |
| Products | Music recordings |
Ilanda emerged as an Australian vocal harmony and dance ensemble initially formed in 1991 under the name Past to Present. The original lineup consisted of four members: Leighton Hema, Frank Laga'aia, Lennie Keller, and Norman Keller, all New Zealand-born individuals of Samoan descent. Past to Present contributed vocals to Peter Andre's rendition of "Get Down on It" released in February 1996, which climbed to No. 5 on the ARIA Singles Chart and secured the top position in New Zealand. Following Hema’s exit in 1998, the group took a hiatus before reassembling as the trio Ilanda, producing three singles that reached the Australian top 40 prior to their last release in May 2000.
1991–1997: Past to Present
Leighton Hema, Frank Laga'aia, along with brothers Lennie and Norman Keller, shared a common upbringing in New Zealand and Samoan heritage. The Keller siblings relocated to Melbourne in 1980, where by 1991 the four artists united to form a vocal harmony and dance group. Drawing inspiration from the Samoan band the Katinas, they secured a contract with Mushroom Records and launched their debut single "Crazy" in June 1995. This track, co-authored by all members, achieved top 50 chart positions in both Australia and New Zealand. Their album Four Noble Truths was subsequently released in July 1995, with production handled by Ant Dale and Vince Deltito.
In February 1996, Past to Present collaborated on Peter Andre’s cover of Kool & the Gang’s "Get Down on It," which peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Singles Chart and reached No. 1 in New Zealand. Later that same year, their rendition of Earth, Wind & Fire’s "September" entered the ARIA top 50. Additionally, their song "Sexuality" was featured on the soundtrack for Home and Away: The Sounds of Summer Bay (1996). In August 1997, they released "Ready Willing & Able," a standalone single that attained a top 40 position in New Zealand.
Toward the end of 1997, the group parted ways with Mushroom Records to gain greater autonomy over their professional direction. They established APO Records and APO International, encompassing recording studios, a label, management services, and a modelling agency. Around this period, Leighton Hema left the group due to personal reasons.
1998–2000: Ilanda
In early 1999, Frank Laga'aia joined forces with Lennie and Norman Keller to continue as a trio under the name Ilanda (pronounced “Islander”), a nod to their Samoan roots. Their debut single as Ilanda, "It's Our Time," was released in February 1999 and reached No. 30 on Australian charts and No. 21 in New Zealand. Norman explained that Ilanda’s music reflects their cultural identity by merging Pacific Island influences with vocal harmonies reminiscent of church choirs and acoustic guitar elements common at Māori events.
Ilanda followed up with additional Australian top 40 singles including "Tasty" (September 1999) and "Breakin'... There's No Stopping Us," featuring Joanne Accom (May 2000). By August 2000, they were developing their album Experience, which Frank described as diverse—incorporating pop, R&B, dance rhythms, ballads, and energetic tracks.
Members
- Frank Laga'aia
- Lennie Keller
- Norman Keller
- Leighton Hema (left during Past to Present period)
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Four Noble Truths |
|
Singles
| Song Title | Release Year | Highest Chart Positions | Certification Status | Associated Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia |
New Zealand | ||||
| Released under the name Past to Present | |||||
| "Slammin'" | 1994 | — | — | Four Noble Truths | |
| "Crazy" | 1995 | 46 | 43 | ||
| "Sexuality" | 79 | — | |||
| "Get Down on It" (collaboration with Peter Andre) |
1996 | 5 | 1 |
|
Natural |
| "September" | 42 | — | Home and Away: The Sounds of Summer Bay | ||
| "Ready Willing & Able" | 1997 | — | 32 | non album single | |
| Released under the name Ilanda | |||||
| "It's Our Time" | 1998 | 30 | 21 | Non-album singles | |
| "Tasty" | 1998 | 25 | — | ||
| "Breakin' There's No Stoppin' Us" (featuring Joanne Accom) |
2000 | 38 | — | ||