Many established artists and aspiring musicians share a similar story as to how their passion and love for the art of music-making began.
Pop star Katy Perry, RnB sensation Chris Brown, the legendary queen of soul Aretha Franklin and the king of soul himself Sam Cooke, are few of the many who delved into the music industry with whatever experience they had from singing in church during their childhood.
These big names have become an inspiration to those who chose music as a career, and they continue to inspire millions around the world, even those who reside in an island nation no bigger than a mere dot on the world map.
And, of course, with the immense talent that has come out of Fiji, there is no doubt that church is the first place where interest and passion are discovered.
One of those talents is Loata Raibevu, 34, of Kalabu Village in Naitasiri, with maternal links to Vanuabalavu, who is slowly emerging on to the local music scene.
At a very young age, Raibevu started singing in church and thus, began her love for music.
She was part of the Raibevu Memorial Methodist Church Sunday school choir, later on joining the main choir in her teens.
After leaving church for a while, she realised she wanted to keep singing.
As one would have expected, her family being naturally inclined to music as well, influenced her to take a different path for herself.
“I come from a musical family. They have always loved singing but never pursued it professionally,” Raibevu said.
“My family comes from a background of civil servants, well educated people.
“Everyone worked in a ministry. My grandparents were teachers, and my father was a soldier.
“It was my mother, her siblings and cousins who are vocally talented.
“My mom, Pasepa Tikoilautoka, had always sung in church, never once did she sing outside of church.
“As a matter of fact, all of my family members sang only in church. I probably am the first person in my family to venture out and it became a profession for me.”
Her mom, having a huge impact on her life, was the foundation of strength and motivation as she continued to sharpen the sword.
“When I was growing up, I always looked to my mom for motivation,” she smiled.
“I had the church choir as well which included my uncles and aunties, my goodness, they are all amazing singers and since my mom was always at work, I would mostly spend my time singing with them.
“And then I would ask, ‘does this sound OK? Is this fine? Because, mind you, one of my uncles was also the head of the church choir, so whenever I needed opinions on things related to music, he would be the next person I would go to.”
Her passion grew stronger since then and, unlike her family, she decided to make a career in music.
She joined a band called Lost Tribe Fiji. It was orchestrated and managed by Jojo Whippy. She became their lead singer for four years.
Experiences such as doing live gigs at the Hibiscus Festival, joining local talent quests such as Join the Band Fiji and Kaila Star Search, performing at weddings and other functions enabled her to muster up the confidence to sing and control her tone.
Of course, with the help of Mr Whippy, who is no stranger to the local music scene, she was taught how to properly appear and sing in front of hundreds, if not thousands of people.
“My experience with the band, it really took me from zero to 100, made me a professional,” she said.
“Like, I was always an amateur singer, but when I entered the band, I was taught how to control my tone, control my singing and improve my stage presence.
“That’s why the band was very good for me, especially in terms of stage presence because singing in front of crowds was not easy.
“Mr Whippy taught me from scratch how to control my tone, how to sing, how to pronounce the words in such a way to make your voice sound good.
“Working under his management was such a good experience and he was by far the best decision I had ever made.”
Being encouraged and told ‘you can sing, don’t worry about anybody, you sound good’ by someone who’s been involved with other popular musicians in Fiji, she attributed her learning experience not only to Mr Whippy, but also to the band.
“The band carried me through the four years, not only with my singing, but with my personal life too,” she added.
“We looked out for each other. It was more than a band; they were like a family to me.
“But now, the band members have parted ways and are doing their own thing. Right now, I’m a natural dietician and an advocate for my mataqali Nawavatu on land issues.
“And currently, I’m working on learning new songs and writing originals as well. And if I was given an opportunity by any music label here in Fiji, I’m there.”
In her ardor and enthusiasm, she separated herself from the family norm of graduating from school and entering the white-collar job market by pursuing her interest in music, and if it wasn’t for the influence of her grandparents, uncles, and aunts, Raibevu wouldn’t have discovered the love she found in her own tunes.
“This time and age, anyone can make money in any way, so if you feel like pursuing music, the sky’s the limit,” she advised.
“If you want to pursue music, go for it. Let nothing stop you, pursue it and make it yours.”
