AT the tender age of 13, young and rising singing sensation Mosese Baledrokadroka, a Year 8 student of Lautoka Delana Primary School, is quickly establishing himself in the local music scenery after releasing his latest album, Gospel Volume 2, You Raise Me Up.
Young Mosese or Mojee, as he is commonly called by friends, hails from Natokalau Village in Nasinu, Ovalau, with maternal links to Kadavu.
He has recorded 10 hit songs in his latest album under the guidance of mentor and trainer, retired schoolteacher and one of Fiji’s top composers, Master Iliesa Baravilala, and the hits included seven original compositions by Master Baravilala.
The hit songs recorded include:
* You raise me up
* Na nona loloma
* Noqu Kalou
* Have thine own way
* Ni dau kida na mataka
* Shout to the Lord
* Sunbeam
* Mataka vou
* Wonderful Lord; and
* Lamb of God.
The album was launched a fortnight ago at Lautoka’s Tilak High School hall where Mojee kindly gave part of the proceeds of his album towards the construction of the Nasinu Methodist Church in his home district of Nasinu on Ovalau.
Mojee has also been invited to sing at the official opening of the church tomorrow. He will be accompanied by his mentor, Master Baravilala, who has confirmed they will also officially launch the new album at Mojee’s chiefly village of Nasinu.
First meeting.
The Fiji Times Backtracks team asked Master Baravilala as to how he had met the 13-year-old star and he replied he had met him during a Catholic Baptism Mass at Lautoka in 2015 where Mojee and his parents, Mesulame Tauva and Vaseva Waqa, were also invited.
“We were attending the after-mass function and Mojee suddenly started to sing a Gospel tune from the back and his voice immediately caught my attention and I asked; ‘who’s that kid singing’. I received no direct response to my question and Mojee again sang another tune and this time I stood up and looked back and there he was. That was the beginning of our relationship,” Master Baravilala said.
He said the following Monday he went straight to Mojee’s home in Lautoka where his father, Mesulame, told him that they had urged Mojee to sing after noticing that he (Master Baravilala) was present at the function.
“It was here that Mojee’s parents, Mesulame and Vaseva, agreed for me to take Mojee under my wings and mentor and train him in singing.”
Fast learner
The retired schoolteacher said Mojee was a fast learner and it was easy to teach him new tunes.
“I never really did much for him in terms of voice training because he had this God-given talent of a beautiful voice and it was his passion for singing that made him relentless in learning the new songs and tunes that I gave him.
“He loved to sing and working with him brought back memories of when I was mentoring one of the early ’80s singing sensation, the then young Lagani Rabukawaqa.”
He said one of the things that probably made him a marvellous singer was that when his mother Vaseva was a few months pregnant with him she used to attend choir practices and singing events for the Lomaiviti Choir and the Coronation Church Choir around Lautoka.
“I believe that while growing up in his mother’s belly, listening to all the choral church music had definitely helped mould him to become the great singer he has become; and he loves singing Gospel songs, church hymns and anthems,” Master Baravilala said.
He said Mojee, at the age of only 13, is now a prominent member of the Coronation Church Choir and the Lomaiviti Choir in Lautoka.
“He has matured in the way he sings and how he applies himself to all new tunes that he comes across.”
Singing and education
The Backtracks team also managed to undertake a telephone interview with Mojee’s mother Vaseva and asked her how had Mojee managed to balance his education and his numerous singing engagements.
Mum, Vaseva said it had not affected his school work but somehow his marks had improved.
“Especially when we allow him to perform at church functions, even after singing at the Methodist Annual Conference Songs of Praise, his exam results just got better. He even increased his marks from 520/600 to 550/600 in his latest exams.
Parents proud
“We are proud of the singing talent that God has bestowed on our son and we always say yes to any singing engagement that he has to attend, especially church engagements and we will only say no if Mojee says he’s tired,” mother Vaseva proudly said.
“We want to thank God sincerely for bestowing this singing talent on Mojee and also to Master Baravilala for giving his time to mentor, train and guide him in the art of singing. Master always gets our permission first on everything about Mojee and we thank him for that,” she said.
Mojee thanks all
When The Fiji Times asked Mojee how he felt about being the latest and youngest singing sensation in the country he simply said: “Yes, and I’m proud of that, but I want to first and foremost thank God for giving me this talent, without which I can’t achieve anything. I also want to sincerely thank my parents who have supported me all the way in whatever I do, especially allowing me undertake all this singing assignments. And last but not least to Master Baravilala for taking me under his wings and teaching and mentoring me in all the arts of singing; and writing new songs for me,” the young Mojee said.
Mr Baravilala also told The Fiji Times that he acknowledged the financial support provided by the Ba Provincial Holdings Ltd of Lautoka and Tifajek Hotspring of Sabeto, Nadi, for sponsoring the recording of Mosese Baledrokadroka Gospel Volume 2, You Raise Me Up, with Procera Music. He also acknowledged the playback and background music provided by George Low and the excellent work done by Procera’s recording engineer Adriu Saranuku during the recording sessions.
Master Baravilala also outlined that some of the major events among many others that Mojee had taken part in last year and this year included: Entertaining cruise ships at Lautoka Wharf, Baravilala Tribute Concert, Farmers Carnival Lautoka, Sugar Festival Lautoka, Fiji Pageant Sigatoka, Rio 7s Team Celebration Prince Charles Park, Fiji Music & Procera Night, Holiday Inn Suva, Yasana o Ba Festival Nadi, Veivakalotutaki Wasewase Lautoka, Veivakalotutaki Tabacakacaka Lautoka, Tabacakacaka o Lawaki, Wakaya Island Resort, Golden Jubilee Furnival Park, Suva, Tamavua Village fundraising and Levuka Town Hall.
