Born in the Philippines and raised in Sweden, Santa Barbara–based artist Joveth describes his upbringing as one molded by the captivating harmonies. Enveloped in a patchwork of varied sonic influences, he was inevitably propelled to start producing his own music at a very young age. By 12 years old, Joveth was already creating records in a makeshift recording studio in his bedroom. Now, more than a decade later, Joveth has released his debut single with Voracious Records, “Say My Name,” and is in the process of rolling out his first EP, Lonely Boy.
Live performances have always profoundly impacted Joveth, as perhaps best exemplified by his first live concert, seeing James Blunt at age 12. He recalled, “I saw James Blunt perform on the piano and I thought ‘I need to do that.’” This moment kick-started what has been an almost lifelong journey: to make music that connects with audiences in the same way that he himself has been moved by artists and their songs. And the more he has plunged into the music world, the more he has learned and broadened his music palette. Over the years, Joveth has leaned into a distinctive, genre-defying style of his own invention, one that blends pop, electronic, gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and more.
The turning point was when Joveth decided to move to the U.S. to further pursue his music. He explained that he had always dreamed of doing so, drawn to American music and culture in general. It was a bold move — Joveth didn’t have any connections in the U.S. and, instead, went out on a limb, chasing a precarious opportunity in Santa Barbara. He was only 20 and emigrated all by himself.