Maxi Priest arrives for Tonga concert [1]
Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - 17:15. Updated on Sunday, December 15, 2013 - 15:33.
Reggae superstar singer Maxi Priest arrived in Nuku'alofa on December 12 with his eight-members band gearing up for a one-night concert at Queen Salote Memorial Hall on the evening of December 14.
Maxi Priest (born, Max Elliott) is known in the music business as the "King of Lovers Rock" talked to local journalists about his music, inspirations and life.
Having recorded 11 albums so far, and his recent album 'To the Max', which he is bringing on tour to Tonga, draws on personal experience.
Maxi with his sense of humour said although his songs are drawn from different moments and experiences, they relate to each other in the sense that everything in life is relevant.
Love is the word
Maxi declares himself as a "God fearing child and a much-blessed child" and wants his music to tell the world the message of, "can...t we just get along with love as the key word".
From singing at home in his Pentecostal church in London, to school and then in clubs and house parties, Priest encourages young locals who dream of making it big in the music industry to first believe in God and believe in what you are doing.
Inspired by music icons such as Bob Marley, Phil Collins, and Sting, Maxi said he is inspired in the fact that they appreciate the art they are in and the other people that are in it too, " especially if someone has proved themselves time and time again like Phil Collins, he has my respect ", Maxi said.
He also thinks Bob Marley is not a great singer but more of a great messenger, poet and artist.
Maxi who is a British, born to Jamaican parents, splits his time between London, Kingstown and Jersey in the USA and reckons he is on tour at least six to seven months per year, hopes to return to Tonga in the future.
This what we do as a living and this is something I have always wanted to do from day one, to travel around the world and spread the music as well as continue burning the light to the great Bob Marley, he said.
Maxi wants everyone in Nuku...alofa that will attend his concert on Wednesday to have a good time and let their hair down and just forget about the many problems for just an hour and two.
Maxi is brought to Tonga by 'Fresh Off the Boat' promotions from Sydney, Australia and he will continue his South Pacific tour to Fiji on December 15.