Yesterday afternoon, the Oamaru teenager was announced as a national finalist in the New Zealand Smokefree Rockquest, after winning the Timaru regional final in June.
He is the only act from the South Island to make the 2015 national finals.
In May, Balfe was named overall winner of the intermediate section at the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards, and earlier this year, he went to the influential Tamworth Country Music Festival in Australia, winning Instrumental and best duo, with Zoe Scott, of Geraldine.
His talent has already been noticed by some big names in the industry, including one of his idols, Tommy Emmanuel, and Fat Freddy's Drop.
Balfe is totally self-taught. His interest, particularly in fingerstyle, was sparked at age 9.
''I'd already been doing a few chords, then I saw this video on YouTube of someone playing fingerstyle,'' he said.
He had never seen anyone play in that way before.
''I analysed the video for months, kept watching it over and over figuring out how to do it.''
It came naturally to him and now, he wants to make a career out of it and become New Zealand's best fingerstyle guitarist.
Fingerstyle guitar, as Balfe explained, is the technique of playing the guitar by plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to fingers.
In his first year at Waitaki Boys' High School, he won the school's annual talent quest.
''That was quite a thrill for me, and that definitely [boosted] the confidence,'' he said.
Then he started going to open mike nights and playing at folk clubs in Dunedin.
Balfe has appeared on New Zealand's Got Talent and performed at folk festivals around the country.
His success in Tamworth earlier this year also included winning Junior Overall in the Capital Country Music Association talent quest.
''That won me a scholarship to go back to Australia next January for three weeks for an academy, with some of the top musicians in the industry as tutors,'' he said.
Joseph does not sing - he lets his guitar do the talking.
He has, however, teamed up with Zoe to create a distinctive combination of soulful vocals and killer guitar skills.
''We do quite a few gigs here and there,'' he said.
He uploads videos of his arrangements and covers to YouTube and Facebook and his fingerstyle arrangement of Meghan Trainor's All About That Bass has had 97,000 views.
He released his first album, Highly Strung, last year and plans to record another this year of all original songs.
On August 22, he will be opening for Tommy Emmanuel's Christchurch concert, as part of the Australian guitarist's New Zealand tour.
