At Haku Collective, our mission is to build and sustain a thriving creative network telling the most authentic stories of Hawaiʻi. These are our Artists to Watch, a new collective of young Artists in Hawai’i whom we discover & mentor through programs like our Melecraft Mentorship Programs.
Discover the future of Hawaiʻi’s music!
Get to know our Artists to Watch
Watch each artist perform on the Mana Up Showcase Livestream then VOTE for your favorite Haku Collective's Artist to Watch performer! The People’s Choice winner will earn the opportunity to perform his/her original song with Hawaii Symphony Orchestra - specially arranged by HSO's Composer in Residence Michael Thomas Foumai - at a future HapaSymphony show.
Voting ends Wednesday, November 4th at 11:59 PM HST. Limit one vote per email.
Baba Tavares
@babatavares | joshuatavares.com
Baba Tavares is from Hōnaunau and recently won two Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards for his debut EP, Hanohano Hōnaunau. He is also an actor, having starred in the Broadway National Tour of RENT and co-starred in the FOX series Rescue: HI-Surf. You can catch him in Cirque du Soleil’s Waikīkī show, ʻAuana. He is the Assistant Professor of Acting at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, where he teaches acting and directs. He is always proud to represent his hometown of Kona and carries the aloha of his ʻohana wherever he goes.
Mālie Lyman
@malielyman
Mālie Lyman is a Hawaiian vocalist and steel guitarist carrying on her family’s musical legacy. She is the great-granddaughter of legendary falsetto singer Genoa Keawe and a 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner for Hawaiian Single of the Year for her original song “Ku’u Makamaka”. Through her music, Mālie honors her ‘ohana and culture while sharing her own heartfelt sound.
Dillon Pakele
@dillonpakele
Dillon Pakele is a Native Hawaiian/Samoan singer-songwriter and musician from Kapolei, Oʻahu. Born on Hawaiʻi Island and raised on the West Side of Oʻahu, he grew up surrounded by music and developed a passion for island reggae, songwriting, and storytelling. He comes from a prominent Hawaiʻi musical family. His father, Kaulana Pakele, was the lead vocalist of the local groups Manaʻo Company and Ehukai. After Kaulana’s death in 2020, Dillon began increasingly using his music to honor his father’s memory and carry his musical legacy forward.
Dillon’s music combines island reggae with elements of R&B and soul, often focusing on love, family, spirituality, healing, and his connection to Hawaiʻi. Dillon released his debut single “Forgive Me” featuring FIJI in 2020. His debut EP, Faith, came out in 2022. He released his album ** Legacy ** in April 2026. His current catalog also includes songs such as “Love With Me,” “Need Your Love,” “Far Away,” and “Yes I Do.”
