YouTube musician Joseph Vincent Encarnacion to perform in B HERE concert promoting hepatitis B testing

A sea of squealing girls chanting his name, flying cross-country from one concert to the next, living the fast-paced life that many only dream of.

This fantasy is now a reality for Joseph Vincent Encarnacion, a fourth-year public health policy student at UC Irvine.

Encarnacion will perform at Royce Hall for the B HERE live performance on Wednesday. The goal of the national campaign is to encourage teens to get tested for hepatitis B, and in order to attend the show, students must go to the art exhibit in the Ackerman Grand Ballroom any time between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. the day of the concert to obtain a ticket.

The smooth-singing, guitar-strumming YouTube musician who has twice appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show currently boasts more than 18 million views on his hoorahjencar account and is not letting any of this newfound fame go to his head.

“I see (fame) more as people getting to know more about my music and care about what I’m doing. I like to convey hope, determination and perseverance through my music,” Encarnacion said.

Joseph Vincent, or “Joe” as others call him, never once had a formal guitar lesson. He picked up the guitar when he was a sophomore in high school, and learned to play from friends. After he appeared in a couple of talent shows in the L.A. area, it was his dad, not his friends, who encouraged him to post his songs and covers on YouTube.

“The Internet is a huge place and so many people have access to it, so you might as well put yourself out there. You never know; you might hit something,” Encarnacion said.

Encarnacion tries to make it a goal to post a video every week, but he said even that is difficult to balance with homework and a social life. He said he believes in prioritizing, so when he’s on the road, whether it’s San Diego, Florida or even Toronto, he brings his laptop to study for midterms just like any other college student.

Tom Ngo, Encarnacion’s manager, said that he is impressed by Encarnacion’s work ethic.

“Not a lot of people can manage school, music and friends. He knows when things are out of hand, and knows when to ask for help,” Ngo said.

Encarnacion also tries to pair his music with humanitarian efforts, combining his passion for music and his goal of giving back to the community by participating in various charity concerts.

The B HERE live performance will feature YouTube stars such as Joseph Vincent, Clara C. and Jennifer Chung, dance crews Kaba Modern and Quest Crew, and violinist Paul Dateh, who has been involved with the campaign for two years.

“(In past years) we got to perform at awesome venues across the country and at the same time raise awareness about a serious issue that even I didn’t know about. I’m not only a participant but a person that was educated by this event. I want to help get the message out there,” Dateh said.

Conveniently tying in with his public health classes, the live concert, as opposed to a health fair, seems like a great idea to Encarnacion because it draws people in and helps them learn about hepatitis B at the same time.

“One out of 10 Asian Americans are affected (by hepatitis B), and many don’t know that they have it. You just have a whole bunch of performers using their talents, doing something that we love and we’re passionate about for a great cause, so it’s a win-win situation. It’s so much more than just giving back,” Encarnacion said.

When asked whether he sees his music as a hobby or a career, Encarnacion said he is positive of only one path.

“One hundred percent … no, 110 percent career choice. I can’t see myself doing anything else,” Encarnacion said.