Beloved Fijian music icon Laisa Vulakoro, affectionately known as the “Queen of Vude”, is gearing up for a milestone year, with new music, fresh visuals and a long-awaited national tour on the horizon, all while holding firm to the belief that music must retain its human soul in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, the veteran singer, songwriter and performer reflected on a career spanning more than four decades and shared her excitement for what lies ahead. Her enthusiasm is amazing, as it is contagious.
“I look forward to a very exciting new year,” Vulakoro said.
“A lot of new things are happening.”
Central to those plans is the release of at least three new songs in the coming months, each to be accompanied by a music video.
The tracks, a blend of English and Fijian compositions, are already well underway.
“It’s already been written. It’s already half recorded,” she said, adding that she is eager to complete the project soon.
For Vulakoro, embracing visuals is less about trend-following and more about keeping pace with how audiences now consume music.
“Before it was only radio,” she explained.
“But now it’s the visual part of the music. They want to see you on TV, on the phones, on social media.”
Despite adapting to changing platforms, the heart of her artistry remains firmly rooted in live performance.
Few things energise her more than being on stage, regardless of the size of the crowd.
“My biggest exciting moments in music is live performance,” Vulakoro said.
“Whether it’s three people or 30,000, I just like to give the same energy.”
It is that love for live music that is driving her determination to finally take her band on a tour around Fiji, a plan she has spoken about before but is now intent on realising with the support of sponsors and media partners.
The discussion inevitably turned to Vude, the genre she popularised and carried to international audiences.
Asked whether Vude still has relevance today, Vulakoro’s response was straight forward.
“Of course, Vude cannot die,” she said.
She elaborated on the genre’s origins to traditional meke rhythms and chants, explaining that the word “Vude” itself conveys a sense of calm and movement.
“It literally translates to floating on water,” she said.
“When you hear my music, your body should relax like you’re floating on water. That’s how you should dance.”
Those traditional beats, she believes, continue to resonate deeply with listeners even today.
“If I put out my songs today with the traditional Vude beats, it’ll go,” she said.
“People will still love it.”
As a senior artist, Vulakoro is also observing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in music production with measured openness.
She acknowledges that change is inevitable and shares that she has adapted throughout her career, from vinyl to cassettes, CDs to digital streaming.
“We have to accept change. You cannot run away from it,” she said.
“I have been going with time all my life.”
However, while she has no objection to others experimenting with AI, she draws a clear boundary when it comes to her own work.
“I still feel that I should maintain the human touch in my music,” Vulakoro said.
“The real voice of humans that you want to hear.”
For the Vude Queen, authenticity remains non-negotiable.
“I don’t want AI to make me sound any way,” she said.
“I just want a nice sound all the time.”
She emphasised that while technology may change the tools of music, the heart of it must remain alive, human and true.
