Vanessa Diandra Sally Ann Kiristiana Quai, better known as Vanessa Quai, born July 13, 1988, in Port Vila,"Biography: Vanessa Quai", Pacific Islands Radio, 2004 is a ni-Vanuatu singer.
Overview She recorded her first album, To Aitape With Love (recorded at Vanuata Production, produced at Pacific Gold Studio), as a child singer, aged 9, in 1998. In 1999, she was one of 3000 competitors at the South Pacific International Song contest held in Gold Coast, Queensland, and was the only child competitor. She won third prize in the Gospel/Inspirational Category. Later that same year, she took first prize at the Nile International Children Song Contest, in Cairo. 1999 was the year she "hit the international music scene", according to the Vanuatu Weekly Hebdomadaire.Archives index of the Vanuatu Weekly Hebdomadaire
Quai's second, third and fourth albums -Beautiful Pacific Islands, The Untouched Paradise and Pacifika- were released between 2000 and 2003. In 2004, her album Promise was a cooperation with Papua New Guinean group Soul Harmony, and was described as bearing a strong "R&B flavour".
In 2002, her song "Freedom" topped the radio charts in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, and ranked second on the charts in Papua New Guinea. In 2004, she won first prize at the International Teenagers Singing Competition, in Bucharest, with a jury presided over by Lane Davies.
In 2012, she was preparing her tenth album, and preparing for a tour in the United States in September. She performed at the Gentilly Festival in New Orleans."Vanessa Quai wows audience in New Orleans", Vanuatu Daily Post, October 19, 2012
Pacific Islands Radio describes her music as being primarily gospel songs, but also "rang[ing] from traditional to modern music". The Papua New Guinea Post-Courier describes her music as gospel music, "mixed with slow ballads, R‘n’B, hip hop and South Pacific flavour", and notes that she sings in "many languages", including Tok Pisin and Motu."Quai signs recording contract with CHM", Post-Courier, January 23, 2004 Quai's mother is Fijian, and she also sings in Fijian."Vanuatu's Vanessa Quai Enters Tahitian Market", Solomon Times, September 16, 2008 During a concert in the Solomon Islands in January 2009, her music was described as "a blend of island, reggae, dance and hip-hop beats"."Sharing Positive Messages Through Music", Solomon Times, January 26, 2009
Quai has been described by Pacific Islands Radio as "a very popular artist in the whole Pacific region". In 2004, the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier described her as "Vanuatu’s No.1 music artist, and one of the South Pacific’s best female singing sensations". The Solomon Times in 2007 described her as "very popular" in the Solomon Islands."Vanessa Quai to assist in tsunami drive", Solomon Times, May 10, 2007 The Solomon Star in 2008 described her as "a household name in the Pacific" and possibly "the most successful female artist in the region";"Here comes Vanessa", Solomon Star, December 27, 2008 in 2012 described her as "the Pacific singing super-star"."Vanessa Quai to arrive for SOP Conference next week", Solomon Star, March 20, 2012 Her music is reportedly popular in French Polynesia, and in 2008 she became the first Melanesian singer to tour Tahiti.
In April 2009, The Guardian described Quai as one of Vanuatu's "living cultural icons"."Country profile: Vanuatu", The Guardian, April 25, 2009
Discography Studio albums To Aitape With Love (1998) Beautiful Pacific Islands (2000) The Untouched Paradise (2002) Pacifika (2003) Promise (2004) Transformation (2005) Island Girl (2007) Light It Up (2018) Promise (2018)
Singles "Freedom" (2002) "Angel Over Me" with. Elena Baravilala & Davu (2014) "True Harmony" (2014)
See also Elena Baravilala
References
External links "Spreading the Gospel", Esther Haro, Post-Courier, January 23, 2004 (article about Quai in a Papua New Guinean newspaper)