Two of Makare Fiji’s founding members are reviving the band’s signature iTaukei sound with a modern edge and a clear deadline: a 10-track album they hope to finish in June 2026. William “Big Wilz” Waqanibaravi and Simi Rova — original voices behind the group that helped reshape contemporary Fijian music — say they will preserve the bright acoustic arrangements that made Makare Fiji distinctive while polishing the production and adding subtle enhancements.
Formed roughly 13 years ago, Makare Fiji earned a reputation for reworking classic iTaukei songs into fresh acoustic pieces. Their early releases, which included Wavokiti Vuravura, Na Mataniciva and the widely cited Na Gauna, paired ukuleles, guitars and mandolins with layered harmonies and live, wood‑instrument textures. The quartet — Big Wilz, Simi, Felix Chaudhary and Phil Dakei — released three albums between 2013 and 2022 and became touchstones for a generation of local musicians.
Both Big Wilz and Simi said the group’s momentum faltered because of life’s pressures: work, relocation and family commitments fragmented the quartet. Felix took on work commitments, Phil relocated to the Solomon Islands, and the two remaining members pursued solo projects. They attempted a third album but judged it a rushed, disjointed effort that did not reflect the band’s standards. “We rushed through it,” Big Wilz said, and Simi added that rushing “was not healthy for our music.”
That break in productivity, however, did not erase the fan base. Supporters continued to ask if Makare Fiji had disbanded and wanted new music. With the other two members’ blessing, Big Wilz and Simi decided to move forward as a duo and “pick up where we left off,” the pair said, stressing they will not stray far from Makare’s original acoustic ethos. “This new album will have that original sound, but we will enhance it a little bit,” Simi said, describing a preference for live instruments over heavily engineered digital sounds. “Some of us want more digital but for us who play live music, we shifted more towards using real guitars, base and basically live instruments to record our songs and not the engineered sound.”
Based in Nadi, the pair plan to retain the elements that make Makare instantly recognisable — acoustic guitars, soft drums and vocal harmonies — while applying contemporary touches to arrangements and production. Big Wilz said the decision to move forward as two was difficult but necessary to meet the practical realities of the band members’ lives. He and Simi have spoken with Felix and Phil, who reportedly gave their blessings for the new configuration.
The proposed 10-track collection represents both a nod to Makare Fiji’s role in bridging traditional and modern narratives in iTaukei music and an attempt to reinvigorate that influence for a new audience. For fans who first encountered the band through its mat-weave album cover and minimalist branding, the comeback promises a familiar sound refined for today’s listening landscape.
If the duo meets their timeline and artistic aims, the June 2026 release will mark a significant development in a story that has spanned over a decade: the resurrection of a beloved local sound led by two of its original architects, committed to recording live, acoustic music that honours the past while nudging it forward.