Source: Radio New Zealand
Over the last couple of years there has been a renaissance of Pasifika musicians emerging from Australia who have produced some of the most uniquely creative music to grace an eardrum.
In 2017, Drill group Onefour took the scene by storm, proudly displaying their thick Australian accents and delivering some of the most precise and aggressive music of the late 2010s. It’s hard to express how big of a moment this was: it inspired a generation of musicians, not just in Australia but across the world. It also introduced many to the musical talent that has been brewing in Australia for decades.
From the outside looking in, I had always assumed that Australia primarily produced pop and rock music. However, while not platformed to the same degree, Pasifika and indigenous Australians have been making waves creatively, carving out their own lane, and putting to wax pure brilliance. One of those artists is the young Samoan R&B musician, BOY SODA.
Hailing from a musical family in Terrigal, just over an hour north of Sydney, Brae Luafalealo found his big break in 2019 when he was selected by Converse to open for Dominic Fike at their Converse X Camp Flog Gnaw event. Six years later, BOY SODA has released his debut album SOULSTAR.
It’s apparent when you begin the album where he’s drawn inspiration from, but the way in which he delivers it is unique. Instrumentally there is a lot happening here, and the production never settles, always finding new ways to fill grooves and surprise. The harmonies – let me tell you – the harmonies are angelic. When they arrive in force on his hit single ‘Lil’ Obsession’ they set such a tone, layering the song so effortlessly and providing an environment in which the music just captivates you – this is an album best played loud.
The production really complements BOY SODA’s vocal abilities; never distracting from his raw talent, but always just nicely setting a backdrop. There’s a remarkable balance on display, every element gets its moment.
It really can’t be understated just how vocally talented BOY SODA is, his ability to hit notes is awe-inspiring. A standout landing around the midpoint of this album is ‘Blink Twice’. Those vocals had me silently contemplating, they are bound to wow even the biggest of misanthropes.
R&B can easily devolve into sounding familiar, like you’ve heard it before, and with more accessibility to music than ever before, finding new ground to tread is becoming increasingly challenging. Not for BOY SODA though, there’s something really refreshing here.
While I mention his influences are clear, his take on this iconic genre feels modern. He’s not reinventing, he’s innovating – and it works.
This isn’t all just love music either. The album reflects the complex story of a young Samoan, highlighting his relationship with his father, navigating his mental health, and finding himself in an era where identity is often borrowed. What it means to be a young person, let alone a young Pacific Islander, in a world that feels ever more distant, aggressive and inauthentic, can be difficult to express, yet BOY SODA cuts through the noise offering something exact.
What BOY SODA has achieved here is not just a whole body of work worth celebrating, it’s setting a precedent.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand