PROGRAM: TAIMANE

Whether delicately finger-picking through Bach or radically ripping through Led Zeppelin, Taimane can morph genres – from classical to rock to flamenco – and stretch her instrument far beyond the familiar melodies of Hawai`i, where she grew up.

Hailing from a musical Polynesian family, Taimane’s attraction to the four-string island staple began at age 5. By age 10, she regularly performed in public, busking in Waikiki every Friday night, with her father handling security duties and the Waikiki Beach Boys (adults whose home & workplace was the beach) serving as her band. By age 13, Taimane landed a position in Don Ho’s show, literally playing in the spotlight every week until Ho’s passing. Ho was not only a Hawaii legend (his “Tiny Bubbles” hit remained on Billboard’s Hot 200 for over a year, making him world famous) but also a consummate entertainer who significantly influenced Taimane’s perspective on performance. Each night, when the typically full house turned its attention to the petite young girl suddenly anointed band leader for a rendition of the surf classic “Wipeout,” it was time to rock.

Following her early years in Waikiki, Taimane walked away from the pop scene and leapt into a completely different world, the art houses of Honolulu’s Chinatown. There, she discovered audiences who valued original songs and began to develop her own style of music, eventually merging a wide array of genres, from Bach to rock, flamenco infernos to tribal hymns, into mesmerizing shows with universal appeal. Fast forward to today, and you have an artist who tours the world shining bright like a diamond (the Samoan translation of her name), renowned for taking the ukulele to new heights while blazing her own trail in the process.