I went and met him at an amazing artists f called Arte Mores, and we filmed him performing a song and we did an interview, and then a few days later Estela took me to see him play at a concert he was opening for Joss Stone. And suddenly I realised Estela had introduced me to perhaps East Timor's most famous musician! And even better, after he finished his set, he came down and hung out with us as we watched the concert.
During the expedition's stop at Dili in East Timor, I had some time to kill. So with the help of the wonderful Estela Sangkop and Kym Miller I spent some time filming. And one of the people I filmed was Etson.
And because of that, I am forever grateful, because Etson is not only the most creative person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and filming, but he's also an amazing, wonderful person.
I went and met him at an amazing artists facility called Arte Mores, and we filmed him performing a song and we did an interview, and then a few days later Estela took me to see him play at a concert he was opening for Joss Stone. And suddenly I realised Estela had introduced me to perhaps East Timor's most famous musician! And even better, after he finished his set, he came down and hung out with us as we watched the concert.
One of the most awesome things I love about this guy is that he has given each of his arms and his chest to his children. His two eldest twin boys have an arm each, and his daughter has his chest. And every birthday, they get to draw a picture on their part of his body. And then he tattoos those pictures into his skin to keep forever – kind of like a refrigerator covered in kids drawings, but a little bit more permanent!
But undoubtedly the coolest thing about Etson is that I've been able to stay in touch with him and he's made the theme music for 'The Sea Decides'. Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am to have met him, and it's just a fantastic and very special thing to have his music as part of the film.
At the DocEdge Film Festival, we're going to have Etson's music playing before and after the screening, both in Auckland and Wellington, and I'm hoping we can also promote his new album which will be at pre-sale stage by that point too! – More to come on plans to do that soon!