A former detainee, who has been released on parole, is set to release a new music album.
Parolee Sam Tom, from a mixed parentage of Milne Bay Province and Autonomous Region of Bougainville, will be releasing his second album titled ‘Nations’.
The recently recorded music album has twelve songs. Out of these 12 songs, four songs were selected and music video clips have been done for these four songs.
“Out of these twelve songs, the studio engineers picked out four songs that stood out and suggested that these songs will be a hit, so with that, I went on to do a video clip for those four songs,” said Tom.
Tom’s first album was recorded in 2012 under the CHM Studios, with “Avoid Crime” as the title of the album. He has been using music to advocate, especially to young people, about the importance of avoiding crime.
“I composed these songs myself, and most of the songs I wrote came from the inspiration of visions that I had when I was in prison. When the time came for everyone to be locked up, I stayed up to write songs. The songs are about how I feel, or of my own reflections about life,” he said.
The correctional institutions throughout the country have rehabilitation programs to help detainees to go through a process of rehabilitating themselves in prison. For Tom’s case, music rehabilitation programs have helped to pave the way for him to express himself.
“I believe that rehabilitation through music is something to do with the mind and feelings, and it impacts inmates in there,” he stated.
Whilst thanking Correctional Service for their support, Tom also encouraged other inmates to have a positive mind whilst serving their time in prison.
“Thank you to CS for the support, especially for allowing male and female inmates to participate in recording the album. It has broken barriers, and I would like to say thank you for your support and understanding.
“Also, my encouragement to those in prison is to be positive, have a clear mind, listen to those in authority, humble yourselves and serve your sentence,” he said.
Tom presented a copy of his new music CD to CS Commissioner, Stephen Pokanis. Commissioner Pokanis, upon receiving the CD, congratulated the artist on his accomplishment.
“On behalf of the CS officers, we would like to say thank you to you and also to those on parole and also others who have completed their sentence and have gone out, and I would like to thank you for this CD that you have presented to me,” said Pokanis.
“I have heard from many prisoners from other CS institutions throughout the country, about their success stories and challenges.
“You are expressing yourself and telling your story through the songs you sing, and we know it’s going to take you a while to adjust back into society, but we wish you all the best.”
Tom’s new album, ‘Nations,’ will be released on December 19th, and will make its debut on radio stations and music programs on television.
(Sam Tom handing a CD over to CS Commissioner, Stephen Pokanis)