Born and raised in Holmes Beach, Bystrom developed a passion for world music at an early age, falling in love first with the sounds of the Caribbean and later immersing himself in the work of a wide array of African artists. At sixteen, he began performing live and writing his own songs, blending folk, blues, rock, and reggae with an eclectic palette of international influences and wrapping it all up in lyrics calling for peace, understanding, and equality.