Radio Australia's Pacific Break
BSQ Wins Pacific Break 2011
Ladies and gentlemen… We have a winner!
After much deliberation, Fiji’s BSQ has been crowned the winner of Pacific Break 2011!
The five-piece group from Suva took the prize for their infectious dance track ‘Rue Ele Ele Remix feat. NeMoney.’ Now, they’ll be bringing that energy to thousands of music fans when they take the stage at Fest’Napuan, Vanuatu’s four-day music festival.
Selecting a winner from this year’s 56 entrants was no easy task. This year’s judges — triple j presenter Sarah Howells, music journalist Seth Jordan and Tongan-Australian orator and musician SistaNative — struggled to choose just one victor from the incredible depth and variety of musical talent from across the region.
“I did notice a lot more different kinds of music [compared to last year],” Sarah Howells said. “There’s a lot of reggae, which is awesome, but also a little bit of an R&B feel to a lot of the music.”
Some of the others entries that caught the judges’ ear were the hard-rocking anthem ‘Fire’ by the Solomon Islands’ Red Star Unit, the grooving reggae track ‘Right Teachings’ by Vanuatu’s Masamp Crew, and the captivating harmonies of ‘Foki Mai’ by Tongan duo Jamie DJ Simz.
Eventually, though, it was the funky strains of BSQ that had the judges all bopping their heads in agreement.
“This is the song that made the island girl in me just turn it up and dance around the house,” said SistaNative.
BSQ vocalist George Wasile, interviewed this afternoon on Radio Australia said, “My message is never give up — if you have a dream you need to pursue it. We weren’t looking to win, we just love music — so this one goes out to all the local musicians out there.”
BSQ are now the fourth Pacific Break winners, following previous winners III Kings from Honiara, Solomon Islands in 2010, Emmanuel Mailau from Sabama, Papua New Guinea in 2009, and 26 Roots from Santo, Vanuatu in 2008. Fest’Napuan kicks off on November 9th. The festival’s theme this year is “Unite and Fight Against Corruption” inspired by winners of the Anti Corruption Fair Play Youth Voices competition and Pacific Break 2010 & 2011 entrants, Young Life from Vanuatu.
http://blogs.radioaustralia.net.au/pacificbreak/bsq-wins-pacific-break-2011
email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Radio Australia Pacific Break Competition GPO Box 428 Melbourne 3001 Australia
Fax: +61 3 9626 1939
PNG • Port Moresby • 101.9FM
PNG • Lae • 102.1FM
Solomon Islands • Honiara • 107FM
Vanuatu • Port Vila & Santo • 103.0FM
Fiji • Suva & Nadi • 92.6FM
Samoa • Apia • 102FM
Tonga • Nuku’alofa • 103FM
Cooks Islands • Rarotonga • 93FM
Kiribati • Tarawa • 90FM
Palau • Koror • 91.5FM
