Kamuela Kahoano makes music from the heart and mind

HONOLULU—Kamuela Kahoano is a gig machine. With well over 20 performances around Oahu with his band Analog and solo gigs at Rumfire and Hula Grill (among others) in February alone, Kahoano could call himself one of the hardest working musicians in Hawaii. But he’s far too focused on his goals to think about such incidental superlatives. One could reasonably expect a tightly wound, frenetic energy from someone who spends their professional life under lights in front of roomfuls of strangers, but Kahoano is reflective, soft spoken, and perfectly clear about what he is working toward.

Born to a musical family, Kamuela began playing the ukulele at age six, moving on to the guitar at age fourteen. His father is iconic local entertainer Kimo Kahoano, and Kamuela is the youngest of three brothers. His brother Ikaika gained national recognition on the reality boy-band show Making the Band. Kamueala and Ikaika have also performed and recorded as indie folk outfit Green Light Go.

“I started writing my own music at about eighteen,” Kamuela says over lunch in downtown Honolulu.

And while he is equally adept at performing Hawaiian classics on guitar or ukulele with an accomplished falsetto voice, he remains focused primarily on his own writing.

Kamuela attended the Frank Brown International Songwriters Convention in Pensacola, Florida in November, a pivotal point in his career, as he recalls. “It was an awesome experience to enjoy that exposure to other accomplished songwriters,” Kamuela says.

He’s currently developing and performing alternative folk material, but knows his musical path is longer and wider. “I’m excited to write big pop songs,” Kamuela explains, “but I’ve got to finish this folk thing that I’ve been working on.”

Although Kamuela’s professional career began in 2007, but his musical path spans his whole life. He recalls fondly one of his most memorable moments as a kid: “Me and my brothers were singing at Ala Moana Center Stage with our dad,” he smiles. “I think it was ‘Call Me Al.’” He laughs.

Kamuela understands that being a professional musical and, more importantly, professional artist involves more than booking gigs and showing up. He works each day at his writing, his promotion, and his awareness of what other Hawaii artists are doing. When he’s not actually performing, Kamuela often ventures out to expose himself to the work of other musicians. “It helps keep me inspired,” he explains.

Citing other musicians like David Asing and Jake Shimabukuro as influences, Kamuela says he will always remain grounded in Hawaiian music. But his vision for his music goes far beyond Hawaii’s shores. With plans to attend the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin and another in Australia, and with the intention of working and recording in Los Angeles, he knows what’s ahead of him as a working artist. “I just have to buckle down and do it,” Kamuela says, as though the statement has become a mantra for him.

When pressed for his biggest thrill as a musician, Kamuela remembers a night while touring Japan.

“I got up to do a solo set in front of about 2,000 people,” he says. “I ended up getting a standing ovation.” He nods at the recollection. “That was pretty cool,” he says quietly.

With strong talent, a focused drive, and a bright future ahead of him, Kamuela Kahoano seems poised to, as they say, write his own ticket. And it will most likely have a song on it.

To find out more about Kamuela Kahoano’s music and dates, visit http://www.myspace.com/glghawaii.