Meet Bernard Kumar. The event planner and organiser who carries his Samoan and Fijian Indian cultures proudly when mixing with the big celebrities and stars.
It’s one of the most talked about trans tasman festivals which attracts thousands of music lovers and fans.
The Promiseland music festival has become a staple in the yearly schedule of music festivals and concerts, and this year’s one shapes up to be another spectacle with a star studded lineup of music artists and groups.
Leading from the front is Samoan and Fijian/Indian entrepreneur and event planner Bernard Kumar who is part of a larger umbrella “Festco” who deal with the organising of such events.
Kumar was recently in Auckland promoting their next big show coming up in October “Eden Fest” which takes place in Auckland also fielding a stacked lineup of international artists.
His passion originally started from running club shows in Australia, and with a work ethic that stems from his parents who instilled into him the importance of hard work.
Speaking to him via zoom last week, Kumar talks about how it all began.
“My colleague (co-founder Promiseland) has been running clubs for like 20 years. He wanted to get out of that scene, and get more into concerts and bigger gigs. I also then had another colleague (Emal Naimm/co founder of Promiseland and close friend of Kumar) who ran agency for clients and artists.
“That was already enough for me because I had already by then had a passion for organising and doing gigs. I had just been fired by my old job so I promised myself that I would never again work for someone else but myself.”
Describing his work as a “cutthroat industry”, Kumar understands it is a hard industry to crack due to its high end demands and needs.
Reflecting back on his journey in his work, Kumar recalled a rather funny incident when he was dealing with an anonymous celebrity at one of the festivals he was working on.
“One of the artists who I won’t name on here, but I remember him well because he thought me and my other colleague were baggage handlers and not the event organisers” he laughed.
“He walked towards us at the airport when he arrived and just threw his bags at us. It wasn’t until his agent told him that we were the organisers of the whole event which then left him in shock”.
Interactions with high profile names is a big part of the job. From sporting greats like the late basketball icon Kobe Bryant to music icons such as Fat Joe, Lauryn Hill, Giveon and others, you name it, he has worked with them.
But for Kumar, the main thrill for him is seeing his family and close friends witness their hard work and sacrifices pay off.
“They come and go (celebrities). It’s the people around me that matter, and those that come to watch our shows who really make this experience much more better.”
“Standing next to our families and friends and watching everything that we worked for come together, means more to me. The joy I get to see on my family and friends faces when they see all the sacrifices we put into something come into light, that’s the biggest thing for me.”
Leaving a legacy for his kids to benefit in the future is something he is working hard towards.
“I am not thinking of myself. It’s a generational thing for my kids, and their kids in the future. They all benefit from this”
“There is a different scale to this work we do and there is always a risk, and I want my kids and family to understand the sacrifices we make so that they can learn and grow from it too”.
The sacrifices he mentions vary from financial risks, losses and deficits, and other factors in order to plan and execute a big festival such as Promiseland or Eden Fest.
He also adds that due to his association with big names and stars, there is always a “misconception” that he “has made it” in life.
“I talk to many people who think we are rich, which is really not the case. We are just normal regular people trying to provide, and I know there’s still more that I can achieve”
“The reality is we’re still planting seeds you know. I feel like we’re only just getting started and that our foot is at the front door”
Another accomplishment he hopes to achieve while he navigates through his work is his desire to inspire more Pacific people into careers like his.
“I have met a few pacific colleagues through work and it’s always inspiring and refreshing sharing with them on life and the experiences through work”
“It reminds me of my Pacific roots and why I had started in the first place. It keeps me in check knowing that I once was only just beginning 10 years ago. I just hope that I can inspire more of pacific young ones to achieve anything they set their mind too”
With only a few more weeks left until Eden Fest hits Auckland, Kumar is expecting a big turn out.
“I’m just really excited for this year. If you thought last year was big and spectacular, wait until you see the lineup we have for this year. We’re bringing this concert to our people and its for our people”
Tickets available for Eden Fest here: https://megatix.com.au/events/eden-fest-2024
