Charles Maimarosia is a Solomon Islands singer and musician. He was raised in the distant Pipisu village of Malaita. He is celebrated for being a singer with deep knowledge of local customs, drawing from traditional and contemporary musical styles.
Charles developed a thoughtful interest in ‘Are’Are music at a young age after inheriting his first hand made coconut shell ukulele from his father. He later began performing among the community, transmitting ancient songs of his ancestors with hand-made pan pipes. These songs were transmitted orally, learned from elders.
In 2000, together with like-minded boys of his village, Charles formed the globally-recognized lively panpipe orchestra known as Narasirato, acting as their former front man, choreographer and songwriter, incorporating traditional ‘Are’are music and spirited dances.
Performing for the first time in Cook Town, Australia led Narasirato to national and international festival appearances in Japan and the Middle East. The band’s single release “My Culture, My Life”, from their debut album Naratana Hiona, climbed to #1 on the Asia/Pacific charts.
In 2010, Charles relocated to Melbourne to focus on his solo career and has since toured with the legendary George Telek, and released his debut solo EP ‘Are’Are in 2016.
In 2020, Charles released the single ‘A’mamiuru’ to raise funds for the community in Solomon Islands after a ferry disaster caused by Tropical Cyclone Harold.
In March, Charles Maimarosia released the single “Haiamasina”, a love poem to his native land.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.