Paddingstone Ilevi has been crowned winner of the 2025 Bougainville Voice X-plosion (BVX) held at Christmas Park, Arawa on 13–14 November 2025.
The young talent from Saposa Island, Kunua District, North Bougainville, was among six finalists chosen from region-wide heats who competed in an exciting final held at Christmas Park, Arawa.
The theme of the contest was “Pairapim Nek, stretim Rot blong tomoro”, which means “Raise your voice, shaping the pathway for tomorrow”.
Accepting his prize, the BVX 2025 winner said: “Winning this competition is a game-changer and a definite pathway to pursue my passion for music.”
Now in its fourth season of competition, the BVX has evolved from a local talent showcase into the region’s premier youth and cultural development event.
The BVX was planned and delivered by the Bougainville Youth Federation (BYF) as its flagship youth empowerment initiative with support from Australia and New Zealand in partnership with the
Autonomous Bougainville Government’s (ABG) Department of Community Development. Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Minister for Community Development, Honorable Melvin Wilolopa, at the official launch of the BVX finals, praised the event organizers for fostering a positive environment where young people can explore their potential, gain confidence, and make meaningful contributions to community development.
Bougainville has a rich musical culture rooted in its traditional songs, bamboo instruments, and ancestral chanting. In recent years, this local heritage has increasingly intersected with international music via cross cultural collaborations and youth-focused initiatives, such as the BVX.
The theme for this year’s event, captures the vision of empowering Bougainvillean youths to speak up and take ownership of their future.
“On the island, BVX is recognized as a beacon of youth empowerment through music,” said BVX Technical Committee Chair Tsarlize Iamu.
“BVX possesses a unique quality of uniting young people in a way that strengthens the BYF, creating a more resilient and connected generation of youth ready to lead Bougainville into the future,” he added.
Since 2022, BVX finalists have been mentored by Australian First Nations father-son duo, Tjupurru and Jake Fabila, and the Wantok recording label to produce a new song and accompanying video.
This year they were mentored by former winner and current BVX Technical Director, Michael Dave.
Paddingstone and the finalists of the 2025 BVX will now have the opportunity to record in a professional production environment and collaborate with both local and international artists. Australia and New Zealand’s partnership with ABG’s Department of Community Development reflects a shared commitment to empowering young Bougainvilleans, strengthen communities and fostering cultural and economic opportunities across the region.