After a seven-year hiatus, Vude Prince, has finally put out his first comprehensive LP album. And titled Nai Loloma, the 15-track ensemble is truly a gift to everyone who has followed his music journey.
His last album was a nine-track EP released in 2015. Looking back over his shoulders, he said Nai Loloma was a culmination of honest hard work and a collection of amazing collaborative music.
“A lot of people get their album out every now and then. I like to take my time sometimes. You may call that procrastination but that’s me,” he shared during an interview with The Sunday Times.
In 2019, Savuto was raring to release Nai Loloma, perhaps to coincide with his first Nai Loloma Christmas show, an annual sellout sit-down dinner concert which he has been putting out in conjunction with M Media.
But that didn’t work out because as the man at helm, he wasn’t too happy with production. So the last seven years has given him the opportunity to learn, grow and share.
“I have been on a journey of trial and error, trying out new things, collaborating and sharing with others while carefully learning at the same time.”
“So there was a lot experiments of sorts, trying out new sounds, paying homage to the sounds and things that have influenced my music and staying true to those who follow me.”
To make Nai Loloma a reality, Savuto worked tirelessly with nine producers, wrote with at least seven songwriters and featured five artists.
The album Nai Loloma was basically the title of a song that he wrote a few years back.
“For me, Nai Loloma is about the gift of love and loving yourself enough so much that you release yourself from the shackles of the past and move on,” he shared.
“The whole album is a gift to myself and to all my listeners and fans who have followed my music and been with me in my labour of love. Without revealing too much about the songs, Savuto described them as testimonies about coming out of dark moments in life.
“I hope that in sharing a story through my music, I will inspire people and give them something they can identify with.
One of the songs in Nai Loloma is Wai ni sucu kei na oni, based on Savuto’s fond memories of spending time in Israel, where he had an impromptu session over grog with Fijian peacekeepers who later asked him to write a song for them.
Most of the Nai Loloma tracks are great dance and holiday songs, which blends perfectly with the mood of the approaching festive season.
There is a song that he did with Vanessa Quai Hoi called Matakau ni bogi (idols of the night), a song written by Mickey Niurua.
The song is a fun tease about Fiji’s night life and the desperate measures night prowlers would go to have a good time, often at others’ expense.
There is also Oilei Cikobia which is a remake of one of Laisa Vulakoro’s songs from the Vude Queen’s Pakiakia album.
“The album Pakiakia was out when I was growing up in Lautoka. Getting the chance to remake a song from that album was really fun. It was recorded with Tropic Thunda in 2017 and was in fact one of the first recorded songs in Nai Loloma.
Savuto said while he made sure there was something for everyone in Nai Loloma, would easily appeal to those who love modern vude vibes.
Also, there’s a another Nai Loloma concert coming up on December 21 and Savuto would be teaming up again with M Media to bring Fiji another night of fun-filled family entertainment that would be later featured on Fiji One.
Like the album, the upcoming Nai Loloma Christmas show would be about sharing a gift of unconditional love.
“We are faced with many adversaries in life, and I feel that during these times we find comfort in family and those close to our hearts.”
Savuto thanked all the producers, songwriters and all the artists who hopped on board to bring Nai Loloma to life.
“Sometimes you don’t realise that it takes a team and group of supporters to put out an album, which is similar to how we go through life in general. For me personally, I am grateful to all the support from music professionals to members of the business community, to close friends, fans and family.”
He said for a small place like Fiji, collaboration was important to help maintain the music industry, open up opportunities, boost exposure and advance music as a career.
“Collaboration is important because we are only stronger together. We learn from each other and we feed off each other. It is important from a creative arts perspective because music has always been and is always gonna be about sharing. Nai Loloma album was launched on Monday at the Peninsula Hotel in Suva and was a sellout event.
Savuto’s final words: “It’s been seven years and I think with this album I’ve grownh professionally. Furthermore, Nai Loloma has provided me with the right momentum to work hard moving forward.”
