For Fiji Corrections Service band member Mereseini Sorovaki, music has always been a gift that has shaped her life, opened doors she never imagined and, today, is helping others find hope during some of the most difficult periods of their lives.
The 30-year-old, who is originally from Nakasaleka in Kadavu and shares maternal links to Bua, believes music has the power to heal, inspire and rehabilitate.
Working with the Fiji Corrections Service has strengthened that belief.
“Being part of the Fiji Corrections Service has really opened my eyes,” she said.
“I’ve realised that many of the people who come through here have been through a lot in life.
“Sometimes we don’t know what they’ve experienced before they ended up here.”
Despite the challenges inmates face, she said one thing never failed to move her.
“Whenever we have church services, you see them singing with all their hearts. It feels as though a huge burden has been lifted off their shoulders through music.”
Those moments have convinced her that rehabilitation is possible.
“That’s when you realise some people make mistakes because they’re trying to escape something else in their lives. That’s why I believe everyone deserves a second chance.”
Sorovaki now uses music to encourage young offenders to express themselves positively.
“We’ve taught some of the younger ones to use music as an outlet instead of turning to other things.”
One experience remains especially close to her heart.
“We taught two inmates while they were here, and after they were released, they joined the army Band.
Knowing they found a positive path through music makes me proud because it feels like I’ve been able to make a difference in someone’s life.”
For Sorovaki, her own musical journey began long before she joined the Corrections Service.
She grew up in Delainavesi, Lami, where life was simple and centred around family and church.
“I grew up like many other girls. I stayed at home most of the time and was treasured by my family. I wasn’t exposed to much compared with what I experience today.”
Her earliest memories of singing was at church.
“Everything started in church. I sang in Sunday school and during church services. When I was about five years old, I realised I had a voice.”
As a child, she and her cousins would often spend their days together playing games and telling stories.
One afternoon would change how she viewed her talent forever.
“My cousins made us watch Sister Act, and after the movie they wanted us to act out the singing scenes. I was the youngest, but they gave me the main solo from ‘Oh Happy Day’.”
She still remembers the feeling after finishing the song.
“That was the moment I knew I could really sing.”
Although she recognised her ability early, confidence did not come easily.
In 2011, while she was in Year 11, her mother encouraged her to audition for the Kaila! Star quest competition during the Hibiscus Festival.
“I was a very shy person then. I preferred singing around my friends and wasn’t ready to perform in public.”
At her mother’s insistence, she auditioned.
“I made it into the Top 10 finalists, but because I was so shy, I never really told anyone.”
She continued developing her voice while attending Ballantine Memorial School, where she and other hostel students would regularly practise singing together.
“Those moments helped me improve.”
After completing Year 13, she enrolled at Fiji National University with different career plans in mind.
Music was not something she expected to pursue professionally.
That changed after her father told her the Fiji Corrections Service Band was looking for female vocalists.
“I told my dad I didn’t want to audition because I still hadn’t stepped outside my comfort zone.”
Her father refused to let her give up so easily.
“He kept encouraging me until I finally agreed.”
During the audition, then band leader Mr Rokovada handed her a Whitney Houston song.
“I honestly didn’t think I could reach those notes, but I did.”
She was offered the job immediately and officially joined the Fiji Corrections Service Band in 2014.
Looking back, she credits much of her musical influence to her late maternal grandfather, Jeremiah Vakawaletabua.
“He was part of a group called Viti Nawai and he sang all kinds of music. That’s where my love for singing comes from.”
Although all her siblings can sing, she is the only one who turned music into a career.
She also credits her upbringing at Mount Hermon Chapel in Delainavesi for shaping the person she has become.
“My church taught me many of the values that have brought me to where I am today.”
Today, Sorovaki hopes her story encourages young women not to hide their talents because of fear or self-doubt.
“My advice to every young woman is to be yourself. If you have a talent, don’t hide it. If you know you can sing, embrace it.”
She believes there will always be people willing to help those who are prepared to take that first step.
“There are people who are willing to mentor you.”
Music for Sorovaki has become a language of hope, a pathway to confidence and, for many of the people she meets through the Fiji Corrections Service, a reminder that life can still offer another chance.
