Rusiate Savuto Vakadewavosa is a die-hard Fiji rugby fan. He has just released a single to inspire our team to the Rugby World Cup in France.Titled Go Fiji go, Savuto as he is commonly called, hopes his song will inspire Fiji fans to rally behind the team.
"It is something that we need and what the team needs, taking into account what has happened around us," he says.
"I believe if there is a time our boys in France need our support the most, it would be during the World Cup campaign," he said.
Savuto is a Form Seven student at Lelean Memorial School and hails from the village of Lakeba in the district of Saqani in Cakaudrove.
Still in secondary school, this motivated young man has already released two singles and has vowed to release more in the near future.
The outspoken youngster said his love for music was nurtured as he grew up.
Being the only child of a talatala (church minister), Savuto would be part of every church gathering at his home as well as those that involved the community.
This was how he was introduced to music through Christian hymns. Savuto's dad is well known within the Methodist Church ranks.
Reverend Epineri Vakadewavosa is the principal of the Methodist Church Theological College at Davuilevu, Nausori.
Savuto said he first became a choir member when he was in primary school at Lautoka Methodist School.
"Even though we sing at home and in church my first choir was at Lautoka Methodist," he said.
After Lautoka, his father was enrolled at university in the United States of America where he furthered his study and the then young boy was introduced to a totally new environment and of cause new music.
"From Lautoka we had to go to America, and I attended Sycamore Elementary School in California," he said.
"This was also where my eyes and ears were taken away by the varieties of music that young people were exposed to in the States.
"I was amazed and because of the little knowledge and talent that I had brought over from Fiji I was motivated to explore more about music," Savuto said.
And that was exactly what this Saqani man did; he took up music classes for the six years in California.
However, this Davuilevu student said although there is a lot of different kinds of music in the world today, nothing beats the old traditional Fijian singing.
"We have heard so many international musicians thriving in the music industry and for me I still look up to Sakiusa Bulicokocoko and Laisa Vulakoro as inspirations," he said.
However, Savuto said he very much into contemporary music where all kinds of music are blended to bring out something a little bit different.
"I believe there is life in music, and creating melody is something that brings out life for me," he said.
Meanwhile the Go Fiji go release is currently number two on a Fijian radio station hit list and this was something he was grateful for.
However, this was not his first. His first single release was titled Na Noqu Timi which was dedicated to the Lelean Memorial School under 19 team that won the Deans Trophy last year.
With an ambition to pursue a career in music, Savuto is looking forward to release an album that would include all his single releases.
"I have made up my mind and I believe I would be able to pursue a professional career in singing," he said confidently.
Savuto said the support he has been receiving has been overwhelming especially from his parents, schoolmates and friends.
Savuto said he would be one of the future stars that would bring back live music to the scene, doing away with programmed music.
"Music is life and of cause the music has to be live," he said.
With his passion for music, this young man brings out memories of the late John Lennon of the Beatles who once said, "As I play the game of life, I try to make it better each and every day. And when I struggle in the night, the magic of the music seems to light the way".
Adapted from Fijitimes Online
