Artist Information

Genre: Jazz | R&B | Soul | Pop
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Influence: Luther Vandross, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan

Biography

Born and raised in Hong Kong, spending his teenage years in the Philippines, and now pursuing a career as a singer/songwriter in Brooklyn, New York, Jo-B Sebastian’s musical style is as eclectic as his roots. While his grandfather was a Juilliard-trained concert conductor and violinist, Jo-B received his own informal musical education by way of raiding his parents' record collection. He fell in love with the Great American Songbook, learnt how to sing with the legends of Motown and Classic Soul, and got down with the grooves of '70s and '80s Funk and R&B.

Jo-B spent two years cultivating a music career in Manila, securing residencies at the city’s top clubs and music lounges as well as performing on radio and TV. Jo-B was a featured artist in Fete de la Musique, an annual music festival helmed by the French Embassy, as well as the Philippine International Jazz Festival two years in a row, where he shared the stage with world-renowned artists, including Grammy-Nominated Jazz musician, Gretchen Parlato. A scholarship from one of the USA's premiere Jazz Conservatories, The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, persuaded Jo-B to walk away from lucrative offers in the pursuit of a deeper musical education, moving him from the tropical shores of the Philippines to the bright lights of New York City.

Drawing inspiration from vocal legends like Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Mariah Carey, and Luther Vandross, and an obsession with the Jazz standards of the 1930s and 40s, Jo-B Sebastian’s own unique sound is a soulful blend of jazz and classic R&B.

In addition to his solo work, Jo-B is also the singer/songwriter half of the Electro-R&B Duo Tropic. Amassing more than 3 million streams on Spotify alone, Tropic is fast becoming an unstoppable force in 2024. Their signature sound has captured the attention of critics and fans alike. Their lead single ‘Wildest Dreams’ from their latest EP was added to Spotify's New Music Friday editorial playlists in 10 countries, while their latest single, ‘Wanna Know’, was added to mood. the premiere Spotify playlist for Asian R&B. Their recent single, 'Control', was selected by Kitsuné’s Pat Lok for his House of Jade mix for 88Rising. Placing Tropic amongst artists like Tokimonsta & Robotaki, the mix highlights the best of Asia’s up-and-comers. At the close of 2021 the Philippines’ biggest music channel, MYX, invited Tropic to perform for their MYX TRAKS Live performance series, where Tropic performed their singles 'Be the One' and 'So Good' for the channel’s 1.4 million subscribers.

With praise from publications like Earmilk and Acidstag, features on shows like HBO's The Flight Attendant and NBC's American Song Contest, upcoming tour dates, and much more music on the horizon the duo shows no sign of slowing down.

Music