THE first stage Atelaite Ruci Tuiwai ever stood on was not in a concert hall or a packed arena.
It was in a Methodist Church of Fiji conference, where a three-year-old girl sang alongside a choir led by her late father.
Years later, that same girl would find herself performing as a backing vocalist for Australian music star Guy Sebastian, singing with Stan Walker and Bella Taylor, and taking the stage at Sydney Recital Hall.
Yet despite the remarkable journey, the woman known as RUCI on stage says her greatest foundation was built long before the spotlight found her.
Originally from Lomaji in Kabara, Lau, with maternal links to Nadrala, Conua and Baravi in Nadroga, Ruci has called Australia home for the past 12 years. But she says Fiji has never left her heart.
“My identity is deeply rooted in my family, my faith and my vanua. Being iTaukei is more than just knowing where I’m come from; it reflects the values I carry through respect, humility, service and the responsibility of representing those who came before us,” she said.
Much of Ruci’s childhood was spent along Fiji’s Coral Coast, where her late father served as a vakatawa (lay pastor) under the Methodist Church of Fiji for 16 years.
She describes him as far more than a parent.
“My father wasn’t just my dad, he was my mentor, my first music teacher and my biggest supporter,” she said.
“Music was part of our everyday life, and through him I learned that singing was never just about performing; it was about serving God and serving people.”
Those early lessons became the cornerstone of a musical journey that continues to unfold.
Ruci’s debut gospel single, Me’u Muri Ga, was co-composed and recorded with Lesaa. She later featured with VLY on the remake of the classic Fijian song O Nadroga Okwe Kodaki o Amerika from Na Vucu ni Tauvu, before collaborating with the Domo ni Cakau group on Sevataki Dina Sara, a remake of the Black Rose classic.
Her career has since expanded beyond the Fijian music scene.
She has performed as a backing vocalist for Guy Sebastian during his tour, joined the backing choir for Stan Walker and Bella Taylor at the One Sydney event, and sang choir backing vocals for Voli K at the Sydney Recital Hall, where she was also entrusted with a solo performance.
“Each opportunity has taught me something different and continues to shape me as a musician and as a person,” she said.
Rather than viewing the opportunity as luck, RUCI believes it was the result of years of quiet preparation.
“Looking back, I can see that God was preparing me long before I received that opportunity,” she said.
“It reminded me that sometimes the doors we walk through are the result of seasons of preparation that we didn’t even realise were preparing us.”
Full story in The Sunday Times this weekend
