ABOUT 13 years ago, a group of friends and musicians came together to create an album that would go on to shape modern Fijian music as we know it today.
Overcoming the pressures of daily life, the quartet released a body of work that included Wavokiti Vuravura, Na Mataniciva, and the age-defining Na Gauna.
With an album cover featuring the intricate weaves of a mat and a simple moniker printed in black, the group quickly captured attention — its name alone enough to make fans pause and listen closely to what would come next. That name was Makare Fiji, a term that translates to “clarity,” reflecting the purpose behind the journey they began more than a decade ago.
Makare Fiji has since become a touchstone for local musicians, many of whom credit the band as a key influence on their own musical paths. By revisiting classic iTaukei songs, the group built a bridge between old and new, moving beyond the usual themes of love and heartbreak to explore broader narratives.
Their sound — bright acoustic arrangements featuring ukuleles, guitars, and mandolins layered with rich harmonies — proved instantly memorable. Originally made up of William “Big Wilz” Waqanibaravi, Felix Chaudhary, Phil Dakei, and Simi Rova, the group released three albums between 2013 and 2022, evolving through different phases along the way.
Like many bands, however, Makare Fiji faced the challenges of change. Work commitments, relocation, and family responsibilities made it increasingly difficult for the group to collaborate.
This why in 2026, two of the original members, Big Wilz and Simi are bringing back their original sound while putting a modern twist to old Fijian tales.
Big Wilz says the decision though difficult was one that had to be made as they tried to navigate the pressures of putting together a new album.
“When we started, we were just four friends who wanted to put out music,” he said.
“It really wasn’t planned for us to put out an album, but when we did it was a big hit and then we put out a second one and that one also took off.
“But then after the second one it started to get harder for everybody to meet.
“We had different schedules, people moving around and we had work commitments so that was very difficult for us.
“Felix had work commitments, Phil went to the Solomon Islands and Simi, and I started to do our own solo work and at the same time we all had our commitments to our families.
“So, it was just hard to get everyone together and do a third album.
“We tried to do the third album, but it did not really take off because it was a disjointed effort.
“We rushed through it.”
A renowned producer in his own right, Simi says rushing to make music was not healthy.
“With the third album, we had to rush a lot of things which were not good and which was not healthy for our music.
“After the first and second album we reached a stage where people were asking when we were coming out with new music?
“So, very quickly we had to put something out, but it wasn’t 100 per cent.”
They both agreed that Makare Fiji fans were still around despite their hiatus.
“We still have a fan base who wanted us to put out new music, and they kept asking have you guys really broken up but for us it is just hard for us to get together,” says Big Wilz.
“So now Simi and I just decided to go ahead.
“We have spoken to the other two and they have given us their blessings and because their commitments.
“So just between Simi and I we will pick up where we left off.”
So, what will the new look Makare Fiji sound like?
The pair say they will not stray too far away from their original music.
“We don’t really want to get away from the original sound of Makare,” says Simi.
“This new album will have that original sound, but we will enhance it a little bit.
“Like the original sound there were a lot of acoustics and all of it was recorded live.
“So, we will keep it that way.
“That is what we wanted as a team.
“Some of us want more of digital but for us who play live music, we shifted more towards using real guitars, base and basically live instruments to record our songs and not the engineered sound.
“That is what we will go with.
“For us now as a two member Makare team we are going to keep that sound. We are going to bring it back and enhance it,” said Big Wilz.
The result, the Nadi-based musicians revealed will be a 10-track album they hope to complete in June.
“People know Makare,” said Simi.
“As soon as they hear the music, the acoustic guitars, the soft drums and vocals they will know that it is classic Makare.
“We want our fans and people who have been waiting for new music from us to instantly recognise that it is still us.”
Next week we take a look at the band’s new single Fascinating Fiji.
