STARWHEEL

The longest journey begins with an open Heart

Songwriters Circle Feat: Jeunae Elita, Ruby Stone & Ofa Fanaika

Songwriters Circle Feat: Jeunae Elita, Ruby Stone & Ofa Fanaika

The feral is, the darkest of the dark (k)night cat(s),
her eyes, pure ancient gold, delight in merciless compassion
but silence as in a darkest tomb, the endless is,
the presence in her soul;
"And why not? Why not!? Why not!!!???"
She said: "Pur-pur, hmm - Why?", murmured away in same sway:
"MAY 'WHY' BE DAMNED!!! May why be food for Dog(s)!!!!"
In her ferallness, indeed, one may but understand, comprehend,
the feral dark (k)night(s) cat, so swayed away, and for her ferallness
say 'Not!', nor whisper it, deep praise and contemplation
All goes to ( p h a r a o n e s s )
❤ ❤ ❤

Songwriters Circle Feat: Jeunae Elita, Ruby Stone & Ofa Fanaika STARWHEEL

A rare meeting of voices brings three powerful solo female artists together for the first time. Jeunae Elita, Ruby Stone and Ofa Fanaika invite you into an intimate Songwriters Circle in the Green Room at Mapleton Public House.

Rooted in story, connection and shared presence, this one-night-only event features original songs, heartfelt reflections and exquisite, unguarded harmonies. Seated together on stage, the artists will each offer solo songs before gently weaving their voices through one another’s work — creating moments of collaboration, resonance and quiet magic.

Ofa Fanaika’s warm, soul-inflected songwriting carries echoes of Pacific heritage, lived experience and community storytelling. Joined by the tender lyricism and emotional clarity of Jeunae Elita and the raw, grounded soulful sensitivity of Ruby Stone, the night unfolds as a conversation — between songs, between artists, and with the room itself.

Ruby Stone breathes fresh life into soul, with just the right blend of grit, sass and heartfelt honesty. At the keys, Ruby creates music that feels like an open conversation — raw, tender, and deeply human. Her songs trace stories of love, loss, and hope, each one carried by a voice that can ache with vulnerability one moment and soar with power the next. Ruby's sound sits comfortably between classic soul and contemporary storytelling, with melodies that linger long after the final chord.

This is not a background-music evening. It’s an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and share space with music that is honest, human and alive.

Warm, soulful and deeply felt — a one-off gathering in one of the Sunshine Coast’s most beloved listening rooms.

Meet the artists:

Songwriters Circle Feat: Jeunae Elita, Ruby Stone & Ofa Fanaika STARWHEEL

RUBY STONE breathes fresh life into soul, with just the right blend of grit, sass and heartfelt honesty. Grounded in intimate, heartfelt keys and soulful vocals, she creates a warm, downtempo sound that feels timeless and deeply human. Whether seated at the piano or leading a room with her voice, Ruby makes music that feels like an open conversation — raw, tender, and beautifully unguarded. Her songs trace stories of love, loss, and hope, each one carried by a voice that can ache with vulnerability one moment and soar with power the next.

Ruby’s performances are intimate and captivating, drawing listeners into the emotional world she creates on stage. There’s a confidence in the way she plays and sings — a sense that every word has been lived, every note felt. Her sound sits comfortably between classic soul and contemporary storytelling, with melodies that linger long after the final chord, leaving the room a little softer and a little closer than before.

JEUNAE ELITA is a vocalist, and multidisciplinary artist/researcher with a practice that intersects music, deep ecology, more-than-human entanglements, and esortericism. Jeunae is a queerer of musical boundaries and will ease-fully dip between Hildegard-esque melodies, jazz, soul, folk and various world music traditions. Exploring voice as a vital technology, before and beyond words, and through the use of live affected vocals through a range of electronics and pedals, Jeunae invites audiences into a world of liminality and feeling.

As a passionate voice and music educator, facilitator, and choir leader, Jeunae champions an understanding that all humans are inherently musical, and that singing and music, until quite recently, has always been at the centre of all cultural and social life. Her research investigates voice as a means of listening-with and vocalising-back to the world. Jeunae has performed nationally and internationally across concert stages, art festivals, and residencies.

OFA FANAIKA is a Brisbane-based musician, songwriter and community arts practitioner whose work has helped foster creative communities across Australia through decades of touring, collaboration and independent music-making. Now based in Woolloongabba, she remains closely connected to the inner-city creative culture of West End, where she spent over twenty years performing, hosting events and building artistic networks that continue to shape her work.

A queer woman of Tongan heritage, Ofa’s practice centres on cultural visibility, storytelling and advocacy for diverse identities within schools and multicultural communities. Alongside her music career, she works as a music tutor at Albert Park Flexible Learning Centre and Inala Flexible School, supporting young people to develop creative voice and confidence through music.

Best known for her work with Chocolate Strings and Captain Dreamboat, as well as her solo project OFA, she has performed extensively across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Her music blends soul, folk and blues influences, delivered through a distinctive, expressive voice and a percussive guitar style grounded in honesty, connection and shared human experience.