“Music is a part of me but it is not everything. At the end of the day I am a son” – Kiridox
You don’t have to go far to find out just how catchy and trendy Kiridox’s music is.
At the parades where the Samoan and Tongan flags fly loud and proud, you can hear the hook of “PFS” blasting through the speakers or sirens wired onto a car.
PFS has gone on to make 200,000 streams on online platforms, and it is just one of Kiridox’s hits he is rolling out for the summer.
The Kiribati/Tongan artist has been on a roll the past two to three years, both elevating in the music industry through hits and shows, while also creating an increasing following online.
It’s all part of the plan for Kiridox and his team as the results which now bare fruit didn’t happen overnight but rather through detailed and mastered layout.
Ahead of schedule and on top of planning is a skill the young muso says he has always had, especially now with the backing of his team
“We’ve always imagined this moment so when it does hit, and you see the reaction from the people it’s a great feeling,” he says.
“For us as Polys, we get the music and creativity part because it’s natural to us. However it’s the business side of it where we don’t tap into. So for me and my team, we have looked at how we can adapt to it, especially social media being one step ahead.”
Describing himself as a “student of the music industry” having confidence while being able to push out content and music is key.
And the numbers speak for themselves and his work ethic. Having only jumped into the scene two years ago, he has performed a total of 17 shows and expect to do extras at the back end of this year to make it 20.
All of this while balancing a normal day to day job while scheduling recording sessions, music video shoots, online content for promos and always networking and collaborating when he can.
“Me and my team we all work 9 to 5 jobs so we only really have the weekends or like after work to sharpen on our music and content. The small time we have together we maximise it with meetings that consist of setting things ahead of time,” he says.
“It also keeps us accountable, you know, so that we know that we have to be on top of things and have a plan in place.”
Being the planned and precise artist that he is, Kiridox was beginning to see the steady and sure progress of his music career, with things starting to take off.
However he could only be so prepared and planned, not knowing life would throw him a curveball he did not expect. The young artist had to fly immediately back home to Tonga to spend time with his Mum in her last days on earth.
For Kiridox, being used to knowing things beforehand and being ahead of time, spending time with his mother in her final days and farewelling her was a tough moment for him and his career.
He went on to spend a couple of months in Tonga making sure to farewell her in the most deserving and beautiful way.
“It was a hard spot because the week before I was told to fly to Tonga, I had just sold out my headline show in Wellington. I was on such a real high also looking to drop a new song. A week after that I was told to go Tonga with Mum having only a week left.
“Losing mum was very hard. She was always supportive of my music, she’d watch all my music videos and everything I worked on. Losing a parent is a pain that is different.”
Making a return back home to Wellington after everything in Tonga, the artist said it was difficult to adjust back into his normal schedule.
But it also became a learning moment for himself, understanding that sometimes, as a musician, the most important times in your career are found with those you love and care for.
“I was able to sit back and reflect on life after returning from Tonga. Music is a part of me but it is not everything. At the end of the day I am a son.
“Coming back to Wellington, those first few weeks back home were more difficult than being in Tonga. You come from being surrounded by family to now eating alone and working by yourself.
“I refocused and locked in by planning everything for the next months.”
After the success of PFS, he has teamed up with rapper Renzo dropping their latest track G.W.T.P. And he doesn’t look to stop there, also having a couple more shows left to close out the year for him and his team.
With the year wrapping up for the artist, he believes that through his music and the highs and lows, it is all part of the journey he is on.
“As I see it now, I can’t prevent bad things from happening. I always used to see it as only a negative but I now realise it is all part of life and it’s ups and downs.
“Having like-minded people around you is also important as they all want to be consistent and confident.”
