THE STRINGS OF LIFE

Josh Kua is an established violinist, but his talents extend beyond just music and classroom. He also harbours a healthy outlook on life, and uses this introspection to overcome the many challenges he's had to face to be where he is today

- STUART DANKER 

IT’S EASY TO LOOK AT JOSH KUA AND TAKE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AT FACE VALUE : an accomplished violinist, a model, a law graduate. In simple terms, a gentleman with both the book- and street-smarts.

But beneath this long list of achievements lies a deep thinker who’s overcome many obstacles and personal demons to be where he’s at. It’s a hard tell, considering Kua’s charming and carefree demeanour, but that’s exactly how the idiom goes, does it not? That still waters run deep? His first sentence to me suggests so.

“Growing up, I felt like an observer in life,” Kua says. “I took comfort in feeling invisible because I’d been convinced by my world that was flawed. Playing music became both a refuge and a source of connection with others. Now I finally live life as a participant with a sense of boldness and freedom. And that’s led to me to make choices that have led me on adventures that helped me discover new things about myself.”

That’s just the thing about life. It’s never smooth sailing. Sometimes you’re tossed into stormy waters, other times you’re coasting along calm seas. But as Kua has learned, the calm can also breed its own set of challenges. Fame and success come with their own baggage – scrutiny, criticism, the constant pressure to stay relevant. It’s like being on a seesaw, a constant balancing act between the highs and the lows.

According to Kua, being on both ends of the totem pole doesn’t mean that the self-doubt automatically goes away. It simply evolves from feeling insecure to being overly focused on looks, social media statistics, and comparing himself with others. And this is despite the fact that he’s just released his latest single All A Game, further cementing his musical passions.