Sammy Johnson was a backup singer when he uploaded clips to the net - and launched a stellar career.
He's cracked the us Billboard Top 40 Reggae chart, has an impressive 32,000 followers on Instagram and is one of the must-see acts at this year's Raggamuffin.
But who is this new kid on the block, Sammy Johnson?
"My dad is New Zealand Maori and my mum is Australian. We grew up in Brisbane. But I consider myself a Kiwi," he says.
And how did he become so popular in such a short time?
"I was doing music there [in Brisbane] but it wasn't anything serious, I was just singing back-up vocals for a local band. One night after band practice we were posting YouTube clips and it's from there that I was discovered."
What followed was Johnson's smash EP, last year's Prelude, that set the reggae world alight and saw him topping the reggae charts in New Zealand and Hawaii, selling out shows in California and touring with so-called "Poly Rock" royalty Common Kings.
"I had no idea what was going to happen because I started so late in music," says 29-year-old Johnson, who was 24 when he was discovered.
"I wasn't prepared for what came from that first EP. It took me all over the world, you know. This little hori kid!" he laughs.
"It took me from Australia and back home to New Zealand. Then I ended up in Hawaii, then on to America. I was on stage with people I grew up listening to. It's crazy."
Late last month, Johnson released a second EP, this time self-titled. Once again, it's packed with instantly likeable, feel-good reggae tunes. And with a slot confirmed at this year's Raggamuffin, being held in Auckland for the first time, next Saturday, his star is set to soar even higher.
But Johnson has his feet firmly on the ground. "A few years ago I was the one in the crowd. I used to fly over from Australia [for Raggamuffin] all the time.
" I was the crazy one in the crowd pushing my way to the front," he says.
"It means so much to me," he says of playing alongside acts like Cypress Hill, Ice Cube and UB40 at this year's festival.
"It's humbling to think I'm even considered to be on a line-up with those bands.
"It marks this milestone - when they want you to play at Ragamuffin, you know you must be doing well."
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