Australian Idol alumnus Paulini Curuenavuli is bringing the music of ‘James Bond’ and the ‘60s to Penrith Panthers alongside her eight-piece band and vocal group, The Martinis.
She’s known mononymously by her first name, but it’s not because she identifies with the likes of Beyonce or Cher.
“I’m not in that category,” Paulini said with a laugh.
“I think the reason why people don’t use my second name is because it’s so hard to pronounce.”
The singer, songwriter and musical theatre leading lady is the youngest of six siblings and moved to Australia from Fiji when she was four-years-old.
“My dad was the choir master in church, and he taught us about singing and harmonies,” Paulini recounted.
“I grew up singing in church and went to school and started getting into anything that had to do with music.
“I also participated in different talent quests around my area, and then I decided to audition for ‘Australian Idol’ and the rest is history.”
Her family’s first home in Australia was in Randwick, before they relocated to Bankstown while Paulini was in middle school.
It was in the western suburbs that she felt most at home.
“I was around more kids that look like me, so I didn’t feel so isolated,” Paulini remembered.
From a young immigrant to a dazzling star, Paulini’s powerful voice does justice to iconic ‘James Bond’ soundtracks.
“It’s always intrigued me so much,” Paulini explained.
“They’re very theatrical because they’re for films, but the sound is ambiguous.
They’re unpredictable harmonies that I don’t usually hear in pop songs.”
The unpredictable sound creates an air of mystery synonymous with the ‘Bond’ movies.
“If you do come to the show, you’ll leave with a euphoric feeling afterwards because all of these songs have been written so well, and like I said before, they’re for film, so they just kind of take you to an absolutely different place,” Paulini said.
Singing alongside Robert Jeffrey, Kai Rule and Jimmy Rizk – a.k.a. The Martinis – is what pulls it all together.
“Even before I came into the picture, they’d already come up with that name, and it was such a great fit,” Paulini said.
The singer raved about how incredible the three men sound.
“Talking about the ‘60s, there’s a lot of Bee Gees stuff happening around then, and they remind me so much of that sound,” Paulini stated.
“We can’t wait to get up on stage and have a big sing-along with the crowd. We’re singing songs that everybody knows, so it’s going to be a great night out.”
See Paulini and The Martinis at Penrith Panthers on Friday, April 4. Tickets are $55.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.