Teen rocker feels like a festival veteran

Ruben Aguilera attended his first Parkes Elvis Festival last year but he looks, acts and sounds like he's been coming for years. That's how well he's fit into the scene. The 17-year-old and his musical performing family from Wollongong were keen to scope-out the festival last year to see what it was about, and to see if there was an opportunity for him to continue doing what he loves, performing rock 'n' roll and swing. Ruben was blown away by the experience and the people he met, including running into last year's three international headline acts Cote Deonath and Riley Jenkins from the US, and Emilio Santoro from the UK when they just so happened to stop by the Gates of Graceland when Ruben and his family were visiting the attraction. Like true performers, all four even sang a song together which will forever be etched into Ruben's memory. There were moments he never thought he'd experience, like being invited to sing with other buskers and on stages big and small across the festival. "I love Elvis and music," he said. "I got up on stage with Emilio Santoro (headline act)... This was all coincidental. "Everything slotted into place and it just makes this year all the better. "I'm so lucky. "It feels like I've been here for years." Ruben also won the 2025 Senior Tribute to Elvis competition on the Main Stage in Cooke Park. The musical Aguilera family - 12-year-old brother Gabriel, dad Miguel, 15-year-old Vivi, nine-year-old Clara, mum Laura and Ruben. Ruben's mum Laura Aguilera said Ruben has been singing from a young age. She said any visitor into their home would instantly become an audience for Ruben. "He'd line-up his toys and perform for them," she said. "He was always performing." He started musical theatre when he was in Year 3 at school and his three siblings followed not long afterwards. Influenced by dad Miguel who sings too, Ruben performs with his family known as Aguilera Family Music - his sisters 15-year-old Vivi and nine-year-old Clara, and 12-year-old brother Gabriel - at markets, busking, weddings and festivals. As Ruben's singing developed he fell more and more in love with rock 'n' roll and swing. He attributes some of that to the Wiggles - whose original Yellow Wiggle Greg Page is a big Elvis fan - and like a true pop-culture child, to the Back to The Future movies. "I wouldn't say I have the typical taste in music for a teenager," Ruben said. Returning for his second year, he has a rather busy schedule that started on Tuesday in a venue, at the Parkes Leagues Club performing with Parkes band and fellow buskers from last year Easy Goin'. He had a show with ETA Stuey V at the Parkes Services Club on Thursday, appeared on the Memphis Stage in the main street on Friday morning and will again on Saturday at 3.30pm. He has another gig with Easy Goin' on Saturday from 12.15pm-2.30pm at the Parkes Leagues Club, he'll be performing on the Cooke Park Main Stage on Sunday from 2pm-2.15pm before this year's Senior Tribute artist winner is announced, and he's been busking with Easy Goin' all week. "It's a full 360 from last year," Ruben said. "This has gone beyond my expectations, I'm thrilled." He's already thinking about next year with even bigger plans. "I'm going to enter the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest next year," Ruben said. If he had it his way he would have entered this year if it wasn't for the over 18 age limit for the world-wide competition. And while he'll just be of age in 2027 he knows the style and moves of the King so well he's not intimidated by the next level status of UETA. And that hair of his, it's like that all year 'round. "I think it's become more 'me' and my style than Elvis," Ruben said. "This is how my friends and peers see me. "I don't put product in it." Looking back Ruben said he has three particular favourite moments from his first Parkes Elvis Festival. "Meeting Easy Goin', meeting and singing with the three feature artists and winning," he smiled. Ruben has struck up a friendship with the Easy Goin' band of 20-year-old Joey Tanswell and 17-year-olds Will Bligh and Ruby Wilson. "They're fantastic," he said, recalling the moment he first heard them perform, in awe, in Chamberlain Square at the Henry Parkes Statue. The same location they invited him to join them and where they've been busking together this year. So what's Ruben's future so far looking like? "I love tribute artists but I don't think I'll be an Elvis Tribute Artist," he said. "I want to perform the music I love which is rock 'n' roll and swing for the rest of my life... and be with live bands. "I want to be my own artist."