[3][4] Her father Tia, who died in 2007, was Māori (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri) and her mother Bernadette is of English descent.

She moved to New York to record her first album, Thinking Room (September 2001), with Victor Van Vugt producing.

In 2005 Moa was one of many New Zealand musicians who contributed to single "Anchor Me", which commemorated the twentieth anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior.

In October 2007 Moa released her third studio album, In Swings The Tide, which went platinum and won a number of rave reviews.

[9] She entered into a civil union with Australian burlesque dancer, Azaria Universe (Angela Fyfe), in February 2010.

In February 2013 Moa teamed with Boh Runga and Hollie Smith to release an album, Peace of Mind.

The show is filmed in front of a small studio audience, and has featured appearances from a number of New Zealand celebrities including actor Temuera Morrison and musician Stan Walker.

[17] The show features Moa visiting the homes of notable New Zealand celebrities, public figures, and personalities.

[18] In April 2018, Moa had a stint as a television presenter for the current affairs programme Seven Sharp, filling in for Jeremy Wells.

In December 2012, Moa starred in an online video campaign supporting gay marriage, alongside New Zealand singers Hollie Smith and Boh Runga, as well as Olympian Danyon Loader and former Governor-General Dame Catherine Tizard.