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!
Hezekiah Lagestee | @thehezekiahjames
Aloha, my name is Hezekiah. I am 14 years old from Honolulu, Hawaii. I love all kinds of music but have been known to play old school rock, R&B and country. I’ve been singing since I can remember, playing ukulele since I was 8, and now am slowly learning piano and guitar. I’ve been lucky enough to play and win on the Duke’s stage for the Dukes Ukes Contest, the International Ukulele Competition and Hawaii Stars. I feel so grateful to have music as a part of my life and that I get to jam with my friends old and new at home in Hawaii, the most beautiful place on earth.
Tehani | @tehani.music
Tehani is a Native Hawaiian artist born and raised on Oʻahu. Music is the universal language that brings peace to her soul and her dream is to give others that feeling as well. In 2021, she was a winner of Mana Maoli's Mele Contest and also won the following year. In 2022, she joined the Haku Collective and completed their MeleCraft Bootcamp. Soon after, she was invited to an all-star band called the Mana Maoli Kupu Collective. During this year of 2023, she was an opening artist for Paula Fuga's show at the Republik! Tehani loves bringing people together through music and enjoys singing a variety of genres (including reggae, hawaiian, country, pop, and R&B). Since 2022, she has been gigging at multiple venues around the island and is planning to release her own music soon. You can follow along her musical journey by following @tehani.music on instagram.
Hazel-Rose Kamaka‘ona‘onaokamalani Nāhi‘ena‘ena | @Sweethwngurl
Aloha Mai! I am an MMA fighter, a Hula/Tahitian dancer, a model, a soldier in the Hawaii State Army National Guard, and of course a singer/songwriter. I recently had the pleasure of competing in the Miss Bikini Hawaii pageant, and am currently a reigning Queen holding a city/National/international title.
I’ve had the opportunity to open for Mahkess with some of my original music and opened the “‘Ōnipa‘a Kākou” concert with ‘oli (chant) for the headliners such as, Hawaiian Soljah, Pohaku, Sons of Yessua, and more.
I am currently on a journey of finding my own way in the music industry.
Keaweʻiwi Pilayo | @_Kp2118
Keaweʻiwi Pilayo, or “ʻIwi” has been certified to groove since the turn of the millennium. He is a talented vocalist and guitarist, who also plays: bass, piano, ʻukulele, and cello.
To get a feel for ʻIwiʻs diverse musical influences and styles, imagine if Kalapana and John Mayer had a child born in Waimea, Hawaiʻi, raised by the Paniolo community, hānai (adopted) by Quincy Jones and Fall Out Boy, until a divorce led this child to spend a lot of time with Quincy and his new kāne, Jacob Collier. ʻIwi tops off this proprietary blend with a healthy dose of singer-songwriter depth and honesty.
ʻIwi is a Nā Hōkū Hanohano nominated artist, for his work in songwriting and sound engineering. He has many original compositions, born out of his endless searching for beauty within trauma and life experiences. Drawing heavily from personal experience and cultural observation, ‘Iwi delivers tasteful melodic truth and brutally beautiful poetic commentary on existence and love.
Rocco Olmstead |
@roccoolmstead
Aloha my name is Rocco Olmstead and I’m 18 years old. I am a surfer/musician from Honolulu, HI. I’ve been doing music since I was 2 years old and have been writing music the past 4 years. My main genre is R&b alternative, but I love all styles of music, especially country. I am so excited to be releasing my debut EP in November 2023.
Tomboy Mani is an up and coming singer/songwriter/musician. Born and raised on the island of Oahu, she grew up behind concert stages amongst some of Hawai'i's top musicians. Music is deeply rooted in her as the daughter of local percussionist, Lopaka Colon. Her passion for music and performing started at a very young age and her love of writing followed shortly thereafter. She has worked closely with mentors Kimié Miner and the Mana Maoli Collective, where she further enhanced her writing and performing skills. She shared the stage with various local artists and was able to showcase many of her original compositions. Her musical diversity allows her to transition from singing, playing guitar, and jumping on the percussions, all while performing her original songs. Her style of music reflects that of Alternative/Indie with a little bit of spice.