Vocal prowess wasn’t the only thing on display during the 2025 season of The Voice as Holy Spirit, Carnes Hill parishioner Joseph Vuicakau brought his best to the Channel 7 TV show, weaving in his Fijian heritage and Catholic faith into the power ballads.
The Voice, a reality TV competition in which singers vie for a $100,000 prize and a record contract, allows up-and-coming vocalists the opportunity to be coached by four industry professionals.
This season’s coaches were pop and opera singer Kate Miller-Heidke, former Spice Girl Mel C, Irish popstar Ronan Keating, and 80s singer Richard Marx.
Vuicakau, 36, wowed Marx and TV audiences with his rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come” by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke.
As a result, Marx accepted to coach the singer who ultimately placed fifth in the competition. The young dad is a familiar figure in the Fijian Catholic community, previously serving as the youngest person and first Australian-born Fijian to become president of the Fiji Sydney Catholic Chaplaincy.
A singer with a soulful voice, Vuicakau comes from a long line of musicians and instrumentalists not only in his family but his village, Koroivonu in Fiji, which is renowned for its musical prowess.
His music is also informed by his faith, which he sees as “one calling expressed in different ways,” beginning from his teenage years when he first started learning guitar.
From there, he joined the music ministry at Carnes Hill, which is in southwest Sydney. Seeing that no one played the piano there at the time, he taught himself so there would be accompaniment at Masses, prayer meetings and community gatherings.
Vuicakau said he is driven to share his talents as a way of honouring his family and God.
“I definitely take music very much as a gift from God and I use it to draw people to the good things that are from God,” he said.
A big part of his musical journey has been his devotion to St Cecilia, patron saint of music and musicians; he always prays for her intercession before performances.
Despite having performed in front of crowds before, Vuicakau said was initially hesitant to go on the show.
“At the time, I was pretty busy with commitments and family, and I was actually scouted to go on The Voice,” he told The Catholic Weekly.
He said he consulted his wife, Janina, 32, and his parents. They all encouraged him to connect with the scouters – who offered him a spot in the first round of the show.
“I was just happy to be on the show, just for the blind audition, as long as I was giving my best performance I was happy just with that,” he said.
Vuicakau continued life as normal while competing on The Voice, playing at his parish Masses and Eucharistic adoration and continuing to work for the Diocese of Broken Bay where he is a community engagement lead.
“I was coming straight from the studio to my parish for first Friday adoration and doing the music for that while I was on the show, which nobody knew about,” he said.
He said his favourite moment on the show was seeing his family supporting him during the blind auditions, especially hearing his sons Jeriah, 8, and Jaiden, 5, cheering him on.
“Seeing them on the side stage at the front was very special to me and to hear them shout out ‘go dad’ and ‘good luck’,” he said.
“I did it because of my wife encouraging me to go on the show but also to show my boys that if you have dreams you can go far.”
What’s next for Vuicakau? A regular performer in his community, he will continue this alongside creating original music and will remain involved in the church’s mission.
“I’m still very much involved in my Fijian Catholic chaplaincy at my parish,” he said.
“But I’m just one part of a whole community who is only trying to do my bit.”
Vuicakau is also a member of his parish council and has been preparing for Holy Spirit’s first ever carols event.
He has a lot to look forward to this Christmas – he and his wife will be welcoming their third child on Christmas Eve.
