Shaqaila's public piano skills go viral

LOTS OF LIKES: Shaqaila Uelese's playing has struck a chord with Facebook users. PHOTO/GLENN TAYLOR

A video of a local student's impromptu piano performance in a Napier street is going viral on social media.

Shaqaila Uelese, 20, performed a striking rendition of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, seemingly effortlessly, on Emerson St, Napier, last week.

Her younger brother filmed the rendition and, on Wednesday, Miss Uelese shared the video on her Facebook page.

Last night, the video had garnered 900 likes and 630 shares.

"It was an impromptu thing," Miss Uelese said. "I saw the piano and had a go."

Miss Uelese, who has played the piano for 10 years, said she didn't anticipate the attention the four-and-a-half minute video received.

"No, I didn't expect it. I was quite surprised." She said she taught the piano in Wellington, where she studied psychology at Massey University. Miss Uelese also volunteers at Wellington regional hospital, playing the piano in the main foyer on a weekly basis.

Originally from Flaxmere, she said she returned to the Bay once or twice a month.

Creative Napier manager Christine Heaney and Napier Inner City Marketing manager Meg Rodel installed the "street piano" played by Miss Uelese on Emerson St in December last year.

"I had initially seen a street piano in Rotorua a few years ago and I mentioned to Meg what a wonderful idea it would be if we put one on Emerson St," Mrs Heaney said.

Mrs Heaney was inspired by a project started by British artist Luke Jerram that has seen more than 1300 pianos installed in 43 cities across the globe, bearing the simple instruction: "Play Me, I'm Yours".

Mrs Heaney said the piano on Emerson St was being played "a heck of a lot".

"A 92-year-old lady comes down on her mobility scooter, very slowly moves herself from scooter to chair and and sits and plays. She can't fit one in her unit at home," Mrs Heaney said. "There's a 7-year-old girl who comes and practises, too. All kinds of people play it."

Mrs Heaney hopes to install another piano at the top end of Emerson St shortly.

Miss Uelese said she hoped to play the piano again when she was next in the Bay: "I think it's a really cool idea. It attracts different types of people and people you wouldn't necessarily expect to play."

The piano was covered about 5pm each day.

"Quite a few people stopped to have a listen," Miss Uelese said of her Bohemian Rhapsody, "but I only played one song because it was getting late and they had to pack it away."