PNG’s very own version of Blood and Fire

By PERO SIMINJI
IF Papua New Guineans can have Chris Brown’s songs in their mp3 players, why can’t Chris Brown have a Papua New Guinean song in his mp3 player?
This is the question inspiring local music group BLAT FAYA to leap into the genre of pure rhythm and blues or hip-hop (R& B/Hip-hop), and as part of its journey, Blat Faya has lately been setting the music scene around Port Moresby on fire.
The new R&B and hip-hop band was formed by Stanley ‘Spenzii’ Mark and his university friend JDizzle’ Dobunaba. Spenzii won the Port Moresby Karaoke Idol music competition in 2013 and Ice PNG Idol two years later but had to pull out of the 2015 Vocal Fusion contest due to work commitment.
The group was formed, not only to bring a new style of musical sound to PNG, but to go a step further and try to break into the international music scene.

The origins of Blat Faya
BLAT FAYA originally began on the campus of Divine Word University in 2008 where Stanley Mark and John Dobunaba were studying.
They already had a band called Grave Unit Entertainment but later decided to come up with a shorter and catchier name for their band.
Spenzii is Engan and co-partner JDizzle is from Milne Bay.
The two say their interest in music began earlier in their primary school days. As the years progressed, their inspiration has come from international artists in the likes of Usher Raymond, Nelly, 2Pac, 50 Cent, R-Kelly, N-Sync, Back Street Boys, Boyz II Men, Maroon 5, Lucky Dube, Bob Marley, Matisyahu and Dr Dre.
Today, PNG Hip-Hop has been hitting the airwaves and BLAT FAYA has also confessed to deriving much of its inspiration and sounds from Naka Blood- PNG’s first R&B/hip-hop group.

Background
Spenzii holds a Bachelor of Communication Arts (Journalism) while JDizzle holds a Bachelor of Business Management from the uni campus in beautiful Madang.
Apart from school and work, music and singing continues to be their hobby and passion.
The duo has performed at clubs, schools, family shows and other events in Madang, Mt Hagen, Lae and Port Moresby, according to Spenzii.
They have entered music contests such as the Digicel Star and Nescafe Star have hosted their first ever concert at the Divine Word University SVD auditorium in 2010.
In May of that same year, Spenzii was sponsored by UNESCO to perform at the University of Queensland, Australia, during the World Media Freedom Day conference where he performed a number he had composed especially for that occasion.

BLAT FAYA calling for more ‘friends’  
BLAT FAYA, translated to English means BLOOD FIRE.
Spenzii says they’ve also noticed a recent trend where a friend or a family member is endeared to by the term, blood fire.
The group is open to any interested artists who would want to join and share their musical talents.
While Spenzii and JDizzle are originators of the band, there are other members including Jason Senjay (song writer), Dunken Maniet (OD-Skullz), Gabby GBlezz Toro (song writer), JBlezz (producer/writer), and the Skullz crew.
Although the band has been writing songs and singing, they have not, as yet, released an album and accordidng to Spenzii, they are “waiting for the right time.”
BLAT FAYA has a Facebook page on which fans and friends can get information or listen to the music, get updates and also share comments.

Recording studio
The group has a mini-studio setup at their residence where they produce their own music and use their fan base and social network to distribute the sounds.
Spenzii is adamant that BLAT FAYA will soon expand and they are looking to transform their studio into a more professional setup that would also help aspiring singers who don’t have the chance to record due to the high cost of production.
The group dreams of one day of taking PNG music into the Grammy Awards.
“Where there is will, there is a way and nothing is impossible under the sun with God’s help,” Spenzii said.