Biography:

George Brooks Veikoso (10 May 1970 – 24 July 2025), known professionally as Fiji, was a Fijian singer-songwriter, musician, producer and occasional actor.[1]

Early life

His first professional singing appearance earned him $5 from the audience. He liked singing in the church as a kid. He credits 3 relatives for helping him reach his goals which includes his uncle, Isireli Racule who worked on Elvis Presley‘s Drums of the Islands, his other uncle and Fijian jazz star, Sakiusa Bulicokocoko and Paul Stevens. He joined Fijian band Rootstrata in 1987 but left the same year for Hawaii due to the 1987 Fijian coups d’état.[2]

Career

In 1998 he won the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Male Vocalist of the year and Favorite Entertainer of the year.[3]

He earned numerous other industry accolades and awards including “Favorite Entertainer of the Year” and “People’s Choice Award”. FIJI’s collaboration on the “Island Warriors” compilation album earned a Grammy-nomination for Best Reggae Album.[4]

Fiji also co-wrote and sang the season 11 theme-song “Let Me Be the One” with Glenn Medeiros and Carlos Villalobos for the TV show, Baywatch and he acted in the 2002 surfer film Blue Crush.[5]

He produced and released many albums during his career such as “Evolution” and “Born and Raised” to name two. One of his all-time and most popular songs is “Lia”.[6]

In 2014, he was awarded the Best Pacific International Artist Award at the Pacific Music Awards.[7]

In December 2021, he won the Pacific Music Awards, Manukau Institute of Technology Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades-long contribution to the Polynesian reggae scene.[8]

In 2023, Fiji’s catalogue surpassed over 500 million streams on digital streaming platforms.[9]

In September 2024, Veikoso hosted Homecoming Fiji, a 2-day concert at the King Charles Park in Nadi, Fiji.[10] The event featured an international lineup that included Maoli, J Boog, and Josh Tatofi, among others.[11] According to estimates, the concert contributed approximately FJD$1,000,000 to Fiji’s local economy.[12]

Following the success of his Homecoming Concert, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka pledged the ministry’s support for Veikoso’s later endeavours and called on stakeholders to collaborate for an even bigger showcase of Fijian artistry.[13]

Death

Veikoso died on 24 July 2025 in Suva, Fiji, from undisclosed causes.[14]

Credits:

Wikipedia