Queen of the airwaves

By Chris Peteru

Popular 98FM radio announc er Tosi Tupua can see the funny side to being asked out for romantic dinners by men bowled over by her captivating voice as it breezes daily out from radios all over the country.

Arguably Western Samoa’s top disc jockey, the likable drag queen laughs at situations brought on by his decision to be a woman with vocal chords most announcers would kill for.

“I told this Palagi guy who

called up from his hotel saying he loved my voice and wanted to take me to din ner: ‘Are you out of your mind?’ He said.

‘Why?’

“So I switched it the other way round around and told him I was a 40-year-old

woman with heaps of chil dren,” laughs the slimline 24year-old.

While the radio voice is one in a million, she admits to singing “only when I’m drunk”.

Four years into a rocketing radio career that began more by chance than design, the friendly drive-time announcer has established a big following with a relaxing on-air style and professionalism.

He still remembers the bemused look on station man ager Keil Keil’s face as he

walked through the door for a voice test.

But Keil’s nose for spotting radio talent soon overcame any other feeling, and Tosi

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was given a start.

Modest about his success, he points to his father’s gift for traditional Samoan oratory fused with an ability drag queens have to excel in whatever they are doing.

“To me, I think the drag queens are very gifted people ... whatever they do, they go for it and do it very well.”

A self-belief that “I was bom as a faafafine ” in a family of three brothers and a sister, was not blunted by a Catholic boys’ school upbringing or a father who was determined to beat the feminine side out of him.

“was probably because I was the first drag queen in the family, so he used to beat me up and tell me off, mainly because he was thinking about my future and stuff.”

Like all loving fathers, he eventually accepted the life his son has chosen to lead and, along with the rest of the Tupua family, has supported his decision.

“You see a lot of queens now not only in town but in Savaii, even in the villages outside of Apia - everywhere you go, you will see the drag queens.

“The lesbian community is coming through too; there are heaps of them ... and heaps of gay guys in Samoa who are beginning to come out of their shells.”

Solidarity between the queens ensures plenty of companionship with those of the same persuasion, and while career success has its advantages, finding Mr Right is far from easy, says Tosi.

“Right now I don’t have anybody. You know, it’s hard to make a lover here because Samoa is a very small country and of the job I’m doing, everybody seems to know me now. And a lot of peo ple look up to you, so it’s very- hard too for you to approach someone.”

Meanwhile, a taste for Japanese food, bananas and the music of white soulster Micheal Bolton provide some respite.

With the radio career locked down, work as a tour guide and as a dancer with the ground-breaking Le Taupou O Tane contemporary dance group, aspirations of work as a cabin attendant for the local airline stay on hold for now.

Whatever the future has in store for the multitalented queen, she remains adamant about one thing: “It’s been a very happy life.” ■