America’s Got Talent star Fia is the biggest Polynesian name in R&B – and yesterday the singer arrived in Rarotonga with an entourage befitting his stardom.

Fiava’ai Esene, a Hawaiian/Samoan artist, landed yesterday for an outdoor concert with support acts Johnny Suite and Kiwi band Village 90.

Tonight’s concert at the On The Rock is a bold new venture for the venue, with a stage set up in the waterfront carpark and an outdoor liquor licence.

Both Fia and Suite love the beautiful scenery and the way it’s echoed in the Pacific beats. “It’s embedded in our blood,” Suite said.

Fia agreed: “It expresses things that we sometimes can’t say, we express through song.”

Rolling three genres of entertainment into one night, manager of On The Rock Eirangi Marsters, says “there is something for everyone”.

String band performances from the Avarua teachers and Koka Lagoon Boys will open the show from 7pm tonight followed by the overseas live band at 8-10pm, and a local battle of the DJs for the rest of the night.

A year into the business, Marsters says, they have realised how important music is. “We all grow up with the sounds of the string band, the ukulele, with songs we can sing along to and dance to. This resonates to what we have grown up with anyway.”

The natural part of evolving in the hospitality business is to incorporate the local talent in the shows.

There is a lot of talent here on the island that sometimes we don’t give them enough credit, because they are here.

The natural talent here is born from scratch, those who have continued the into music enjoy it

“We want to highlight our community, support and showcase ourselves.”

VIP tickets are $60 and General admission is $30 contact Eirangi on phone 71123.