Beat lab in Fiji

With the increase in the number of local music artists in Fiji I can say that it won't long be when Fijian artists will be strutting their stuff against the very best in the world. 

Artists such as Knox, Dave Lavaki, Laisa Vulakoro and Seru Serevi, who have been regulars performers at local and international stages, normally come to mind, well to my mind, when the topic of Fijian musicians comes up.

Knox                         Source: Fiji Times

Laisa Vulakoro and Seru Serevi                 Source: Fiji Times

For the past two weeks, there has been a there has been a beat making lab which has been set up. Now at first thought, one could have mistaken it for a normal workshop for music lovers but it actually turned out to be a studio where everything revolved around beats and making beats for songs. Local musicians were actually sharing their work with a pair of music artists from USA who were also showcasing their work.

Pierce Freelon, a professor and founder of music group the Beast along with Stephen Levitin who is widely known as Apple Juice Kid, are the pair who have come down to make it all happen.

Pierce Freelon and Stephen Levitin at the Beat Lab studio in USP.

Both Freelon and Levitin have a wealth of experience with travels to as far the African continent to set up similar beat making labs Levitin having performed with likes of Timbaland. 

Based at the University, the pair with rap artist Dave Lavaki have been having regular classes in a bit to impart the knowledge of beat making. 

Looking at all the local work on show at the classes and the response from the two teachers, it can be said that it certainly will not be long until artists from Fiji take their talents to the international scene.