Growing up surrounded by music

“I was raised in a musical family,” Joseph said. “Art and music have been a part of my life since,” he paused, “forever.”

Born May 16, 1985 on the Fijian island of Viti Levu, Joseph recalls playing a variety of instruments with his brothers and his father from a very young age. Joseph, the middle child of seven siblings, said music, art, sports and faith were all part of their strict catholic upbringing.

“My dad had a nightclub, so we would go and play at the club Friday afternoons, “Joseph said laughing as he recalled his early keyboard performances. “We would be the only minors in the nightclub and we would play onstage.”

In addition to music, Joseph recalls a strong sense of Indo-Fijian cultural identity and values being instilled in him through traditional song, dance and ceremonies. 

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When Joseph was 14 years old, his parents applied for U.S. residency, having been sponsored by Joseph’s grandparents who were U.S. citizens. Joseph said the move would be life-changing for him and his family as they left their native land for the same reason so many others do, in search of better opportunities and quality of life.

“Within a matter of weeks we were gone,” Joseph said. “It didn’t actually hit me until the plane was leaving and I was looking out the window watching this island disappear in front of me.”

Shortly after the family immigrated, Joseph’s father was deported back to Fiji after being arrested on charges of domestic violence. Joseph said his father’s deportation left a void in the family structure and without his father’s influence he fell in with the wrong crowd.

“I started losing my way,” Joseph said. “I went from a 4.0 in school to dropping out.”

At the age of 22, Joseph robbed a convenience store and was sentenced to 13 years in prison for second-degree armed robbery in 2007. No one was hurt in the robbery.