Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono, left, their mother Alofa Tulasi Fonoti, Jordan Fonoti-Fuimaono and Faamanu Fonoti-Fuimaono.
The singers were selected in front of a live audience in Wellington on Sunday by internationally acclaimed American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade after two semi-final concerts.
Baritone Faamanu, 26, said hearing his name called first took a few seconds to sink in.
“I was nervous. It took me maybe five seconds to process that my name was said. Then I was really stoked,” he said.
“I looked across at my brothers, then into the audience and saw my family all cheering. I was quite emotional.”
Tenor Jordan, 25, described the announcement as exciting and overwhelming.
“It was such a high standard of singers… when she announced my name, I just felt reassured that I was doing the right things,” he said.
“I felt a sense of pride, but also nervousness, and just did a quick little prayer and thanked God for his blessing, because we give all our glory to him. It’s always been a thing for us.”
Although they will compete against each other in Saturday’s final, the brothers said singing was one area where rivalry takes a back seat.
“We’re pretty competitive when it comes to absolutely anything else,” Faamanu said.
“When it comes to singing … we automatically switch to supporting each other.”
That doesn’t mean the banter disappears entirely.
“We understand that there’s a time to joke and have fun, like we do,” Faamanu said.
“But we also know the seriousness of the competition and how important it is for everyone, and so we’ll lock in when it comes close at the time.
“In a competition where there’s almost $100,000 up for grabs, we will do our best to try and win, and of course, winning means also beating each other.”
Each brother has international ambitions.
Faamanu will move to London in September after earning a full scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music, while Jordan hopes to secure a place in a young artist programme at a European opera house.
Winning would help make those dreams possible.
“It’s essentially a golden ticket,” Jordan said.
Before then, though, there is one more family contest to settle.
Asked who usually wins when the brothers compete, Faamanu laughed.
“We would all say ourselves,” he said.
The Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest final is at Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday. Finalists perform alongside the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by NZ Opera general director Brad Cohen.
Tickets are still available, from $39.