Promises, Plans & Prayer

I remember a shy, strangely timid but lanky teenager who showed up to every basketball training at the Telekom Recreational Club every Tuesdays and Thursdays years ago. A shorter version of this guy was more talkative and prone to making friends quicker than you could say “hello”. This was Willie and his older brother is Bernard; brothers who bear similar facial features but starkly different in every other way.

Bernard Vave was an enthusiastic basketballer but in a team filled with older, more established players and a coach who had little time for rookies; Bernard never really made it as a regular on the team. Ironically, months later Bernard would win a basketball scholarship to study at the University of the South Pacific under the All-Rounder Scholarship. But that is not all I can say about Bernard.

Bernard had another talent, the focus of my article today. Music; and perhaps it was fitting that he was exceptionally talented in hip hop, a genre that fits well with basketball.

It is sad that Bernard is an afterthought in the Wantok’s hit single, Ramukanji. But in the original tracks, Bernard’s vocals is prominent and as former Wantoks front men George Kuper Jnr admitted, Bernard, was a co-writer of the song providing the lyrics for the rap/hip hop encore in the song. Bernard left soon after laying the vocal tracks; heading for the University of the South Pacific. But his contribution lives on in the song. “Streets of Honiara” was another song written and performed exclusively by Bernard but the song failed to reach the same heights as Ramukanji.

A few months ago I stumbled across “Promises, Plans & Prayer” and the voice was without doubt Bernard Vave. This is perhaps Bernard’s masterpiece. A creation that truly reflects his ability, not only to rap but the ability to put rhymes and set it in motion. Essentially, the song talks about undying love but in many ways also addresses issues that directly affect young people and how they relate to each other.

My inspiration to write this article stems solely from the past few weeks and months in which music has taken center stage in the global media. Michael Jackson died and closer to home; Solomon Icon concluded with Jedidiah Solomon Maesala winning the competition. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on music and although criticisms have been abound throughout Michael Jackson’s life; no one can deny he had talent, he was special and he was truly a superstar. Can I say the same about Jedidiah, our latest Solomon Icon. No! Of course, he can belt out Katinas, he can imitate Backstreet Boys or Westlife but has he written and sung a song like “Promises, Plans & Prayer”. Will he capture and demonstrate the same raw talent we find in “Ramukanji”? Maybe – but as it stands Bernard Vave, in my honest, opinion is a true musical talent and Solomon Icon should be a competition which gives talents like Bernard a chance to shine not reinforce the reputations of singers like Jedidiah, Sheena Iroga or Erin Gilbert.

After all, talent was what made Michael Jackson and he was special because he had a gift. I believe Bernard Vave, George Kuper Jnr and others like him have a gift; let them shine.