When it comes to local music, the name Baravilala is one that music lovers will be very familiar with, especially with music from the early 1980s and 1990s written by local songwriter and former school teacher Iliesa Baravilala.
Now, another Fiji-born artist, Elena Baravilala is making waves in Australia after she was nominated for the South Australian Music Awards that will be held next Saturday.
During an interview with fijivillage News, Baravilala, known as “Elena Fiji”, shared her story on her journey to where she is today.
Baravilala says she is grateful and humbled by her recent nomination, especially knowing that she can continue the journey that she began in Fiji.
Baravilala has been nominated in the Soul, Funk and R&B category where 269 people were part of with only 15 of them making the final list.
She says she is grateful that she can carry the Fiji flag in Australia because the music that she has now is all driven by her journey which she has taken to contribute to South Australian music.
Baravilala composed the song “Seven” which was a tribute to the late, Tevita Secivo who passed away in 2016 and his wife, Galuoko Secivo who are both pilots.
The song went on to be voted the best-composed song in 2017.
She says music is in her DNA as her mother was a lead singer at the Assemblies Of God Church in Levuka and her father was a musician.
Baravilala is originally from Nabavatu, Dreketi in Macuata and has maternal links to Arovudi village in Levuka, Ovalau, where she spent most of her childhood days.
She says her grandfather was part of a local group called Caucau ni Tomuna and her grandmother is from the Solomon Islands and had also recorded her own songs there.
She adds her parents were very instrumental in supporting her, especially her father who funded their first ever Baravilala Sisters recording in 2002 when she was only 12 years old along with her two other sisters.
The 36-year-old participated in the Suva Secondary Schools Music Festival when she was still attending Gospel High School and later participated in the Vodafone Mic Show in 2009.
Baravilala says her greatest inspiration has always been her faith in God and finding who she is in the struggles, the lack, and the nothing as she did not come from a rich family which continues to drive her today.
She says she is a real believer and she supports it with action as her father, being the hard worker that he is, has taught her not to take no for an answer.
She says she always believed that nothing is not an excuse which always makes her feel that she always has everything, even when they didn't have anything.
Baravilala says she told her father that if her music gets out there, she wants people to know her as a Baravilala and not just Elena.
She says the challenge she faced on this journey is to try and be on top of getting too comfortable and content with everything that has now been handed in a silver platter.
She adds that she tries to be fully aware of herself so as not to get too lazy or procrastinate with a gift that God has given her.
Baravilala has revealed that she is looking to collaborate with some Pacific renowned artists and all talks are in the pipeline.
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