Interviewed and Written by Solomon Aplas
Esther Vicky Kave or better known as ‘Estapacifica’ has made a remarkable debut this year in the music industry in PNG with her newly released heartfelt songs titled: “Gomohane” and “Mangi West Papua”, which have captivated the hearts of many Papua New Guineans, nationwide.
The 26-year-old singer hails from Southern Highlands province's Erave and Daulo in the Eastern Highlands Provinces respectively. Singing became a huge part of her life when she was attending Boreboa Primary School in the nation’s capital, Port Moresby before moving over to Jayapura with her parents who were working as missionaries.
After completing her High School in 2014, Esther travelled to Georgia in the United States of America to study at the Toccoa Falls College (TFC) where she majored in Cross-Cultural Studies and did her minor in Teaching English as Second Language (TESOL)..
“Music has always played a great part in my life just like it did for everyone. I sing when I am happy, I sing when I am sad. By doing so it became a habit where I sang songs that interpret the way I feel,“ she said.
Her first song titled “Mangi West Papua” was actually a love song not directed to a man but rather represented her mixed emotion of missing West Papua, Jayapura where she spent 11 year of her childhood, cherishing it as her second home.
The two songs were produced under Solid Production.
The inspiration for her second hit single “Gomohane”, which brought many to tears recently, was dedicated to her late Uncle and was also not to any man which many have assumed it to be.
She wrote the song reflecting on how much she missed her late uncle and about how she couldn’t spend enough time with him before he died from cancer in June 2019.
Her song “Gomohane” has brought with it both praise and criticism with some saying that she copied the song form Glen Sebastin as she only changed the lyrics. However, she made it clear that she got permission from Glen before producing the song. She responded to her critics that criticism is the known challenges that everyone faces especially when they want to do something great for themselves.
Before she released her two songs, she was advised by other brothers already in the music industry that there would be criticism and understood that would happen to her.
However, what kills her the most is that she is now a public figure as such, must be careful to control her emotions and remain calm to safeguard her future and develop into the person she want to be.
What is your advice to other young people who are criticized for trying to do something great for themselves?
Criticism is the best teacher. It hurts your pride but builds your confidence. From my perspective there are two types of criticisms. There is the type that builds you and there is the other type that is just plain “noise.” I pay attention to the type of criticisms that will build me. I ignore that type that don’t contribute to my growing which I like to consider as “noise.” Noises are distractions and who likes noise when they are concentrating.
You cannot control the way others are reacting to your steps of success. You can only control how you react to their reactions. You have the power to build or destroy yourself-not them. Always pray and ask God’s grace to strengthen you each day as you do so.
She credits much of her success to her family who has supported her, noting that her timeline is always filled with their overwhelming love and support.
She is working at Port Moresby National High School as Admin Managgress and hopes to release her 3rd song very soon.
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