Artists remember George Brooks Veikoso, known as Fiji

Singer and songwriter George Brooks Veikoso, widely known as “Fiji,” died on Thursday, July 24, confirmed representatives of an upcoming music festival where he was set to be the headliner. He was 55 years old.

The artist, known for his contemporary island/reggae music, left his homeland of Fiji and settled in Hawaiʻi at 14 years old, according to his Spotify bio.

Veikoso had planned to participate in the Homecoming Festival at King Charles Park in Fiji, set for Sept. 5, 6 and 7. Other featured artists at the event included Maoli and J-Boog.

“With immense sadness, we continue to mourn the passing of our beloved George ʻFIJIʻ Veikoso, born and raised of Fiji, a Son, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, Friend and a Legend whose music transcended generations, bridged nations, and his spirit uplifted hearts around the world,” shared the home page of the website for the Homecoming Festival on Monday, July 28. “The outpouring of love and tributes to George "Fiji" Veikoso are a beautiful testament to his incredible impact. It's deeply moving and a source of comfort, healing and warmth for all who loved him.”

On Spotify, his music has almost a million monthly listeners. Some of his popular songs include “Sweet Darlin,’” which has more than 30 million streams; a remastered version of “Give Me All,” with Sammy Johnson that has about 28 million streams; and “Lonely Days” with J Boog, which has more than 27.5 million streams.

Another popular song is “Jowenna” with 16 million streams. Other commonly streamed songs include “Shoot Down”with Maoli and former Katchafire founding member Jamey Ferguson, and “Morning Ride,” which each have more than 15 million streams.

In 1998, he won the Nā Hōkū Hanohano award for Male Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year, according to representatives of the Holo Holo Music Festival, where he was previously a featured headliner.   

Following Veikoso’s death, performers, actors and fans took to social media to share their love. Among those posting was Glenn Awong, of Maoli. He celebrated Fiji at a recent concert, calling him “the king of island-reggae music.”

Also sharing memories on social media was Dwayne Johnson, known as The Rock.

Iam Tongi, who in 2023 became the first Pacific Islander to win “American Idol,” also created a tribute post. He shared that Veikoso’s music “has been the soundtrack of my childhood,” he said.

“He paved the way for so many Pacific Islander artists and has been a huge inspiration to me and my music,” he added, in a post on Instagram.

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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.