Josh Tatofi, the renowned Hawaiian and grammy-nominated musician with Tongan roots, will be performing a free concert in Tonga next Tuesday evening, August 20, at the ‘Atele Indoor Stadium. The event is part of Tatofi’s South Pacific tour, which includes stops in American Samoa, Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand.
The free concert in Tonga is made possible by generous corporate sponsors, including Friends Cafe, Five Star, Tonga Tourism Authority, Tonga Communications Corporation, Tali’eva, Office Equipment and Tonga Water. Tonga is the only country on this tour where entrance to the concert will be free, providing a unique opportunity for local fans to experience Tatofi’s music live.
Tatofi, whose father, Tivaini Tatofi, was a founding member of Hawaii’s popular band Kapena, has strong ties to Tonga, with his family hailing from Vaini, Ma’ufanga, and Longoteme. Reflecting on his childhood, Tatofi said, “I thought everyone’s dad was a rock star, and I thought everyone was playing music. I didn’t really know that my childhood was special until way later.”
In addition to the concert, Tatofi will hold a Talanoa session with the local youth during the day before the live concert that evening. ‘Ofa Likiliki Guttenbeil, a member of the organisers, said, “Josh will share his story of his upbringing and decision to become a musician. Hopefully, the young people attending will be inspired to pursue careers as musicians.”
Fans in Tonga can look forward to hearing popular songs like “Ouana” and “Storms Never Last” during Tatofi’s live performance.
