Young musician dreams big

MUSIC

By MICHAEL PHILIP

“I push my music career out abroad to an international level and also to feature among some other big artist in the South Pacific.” – Jarahn.

KNOWN only by his stage name Jarahn by many music followers throughout Papua New Guinea is Jacob Hines Nosuri Raphael.
Today, Raphael is a successful young man in his music career making a name as one of the latest top musicians in PNG having featured with popular PNG musicians like Saii-Kay, Dirty-Fingers, O-Four, Tarvine-Toune, Cammy-Bee, Ragga-Siaii and many more.
Despite seeing success in his career this young, the 23-year-old from East and West New Britain admits that he still has one final dream to achieve and that is to push his music career abroad and be known throughout the South Pacific.
His dream to become a musician started back in 2015 while attending Kalamanagunan Primary School at Vunamami village in Kokopo. The growth of his music dream was slow due to the fact that he did not have the support and help from people in terms of exposing his talent.
However, that is no longer a worry now as he continues to look up with motivation in the music industry.
“The only problem I had back then was exposure,” he said.
“I can have the talent or you can have the talent but the question is how can you expose it? Who will assist you? Who will support you? These are the questions I have in mind.
“Well, it all came to pass when I focused my mind on my motivations. It really helped me become who I am today. My motivations back then which I always look up to was ENB artists Saii-Kay, Tarvine Toune and few international artists as well.
“Seeing them and listening to their music helped me pave my way up to their level and also get a taste of how it feels like to be up there and being featured in their songs as well. It’s a bonus for me and big credit goes back to them.”
The young man from Vunamami in ENB and Biala in WNB said that support and help from his family and friends was all that he needed while struggling to launch himself into the music industry.
Today, that is not a problem has he is getting help and support everywhere from different people.
“I recorded many songs but then I deleted them again because they are just demos. But the first song I released and went popular with is Yu tasol and Cammy-Bee was featured in that song. Currently I have a lot of support coming on board and boosting my music career. They are my peers, elderly people, and also, I have few hitters whom I don’t know them but they pushed me to go next level in my music.”
After the release of Yu tasol, Raphael was recognised by many musicians and music followers in the country as Jarahn.
This was another motivating factor again for him to go further and release another song, this time with the popular Saii-Kay which was titled Banis which he wrote himself. Banis was included in Saii-Kay’s volume 2 album.
“It is always a milestone achieved when I featured amongst most popular artist of PNG. Because back then I always wished to record with these musicians. It’s a dream come true every time I record with famous PNG artists. It’s a reality now for me today.”
Through commitment and dedication to music, Raphael can now not only sing but also produce music. The recent volume 2 album launch of Junior Itambu Band was produce by him and CX Production. A big breakthrough for him came in last year when he was selected as a nominee for the 2023 PNG Music Awards
“My songs that hit the airwaves last year and brought me into the nominee list for the PNG music Awards are Uva O – whi is in the Kairiku language featuring Dirty Fingers, Dukduk, one of my single tracks recorded under Trombone Studio in Kokopo and Nana featuring Ragga-Siaii. I was so happy, excited and proud to enter the nominee list for the PNG Music Aards.
“It was unbelievable. Hard work paid off that day.”
Raphael currently has over 10,000 followers on all social media platforms and expressed his gratitude to everyone who has been with him in his good and bad days of his music journey.
“Big thanks to our heavenly father for blessing me with this talent, secondly to all my family members and relatives – immediate and extended, friends, and thirdly to all my music brothers who helped push me through to come this far.
“Not forgetting music legends Leonard and Uralom Kania who always stand behind my back supporting my music.”