15 Popular Female Hawaiian Music Artists To Add To Your Playlist

Famous Hawaiian singers Anuhea is a singer and songwriter. She also plays Guitar and Ukulele gracefully.

Rylee Anuheake'alaokalekelani Jenkins was born and raised in Makawao, Hawaii in 1985.

The 37-year-old launched her professional career in 2009. She released her first album titled Anuhea on April 21.

Anuhea Higher than the Clouds is a pop song from her album For Love. The album was released in 2012 and it is available on Apple Music.

Anuhea Simple Love Song is a single from her 2012 album For Love. It belongs to the R&B genre.

She won two Na Hoku Hanohano awards in 2010 for Most Promising Artist and Contemporary Album of the Year.

Famous Hawaiian singer Kimie Miner is a native Hawaiian songwriter and musician. She earned her first Grammy Award nomination in 2019.

The singer was born in Kailua, Hawaii County, Hawaii on July 3, 1985. She is a self-taught guitarist who began to write songs at the age of 14.

The 37-year-old released her debut studio album Distant Traveler in 2009 with Dreality Records. In 2013, she independently released her first EP To The Sea.

Kimie Miner You Are My Sunshine is available on Spotify. The song from 2019 has over 1.9 million views on Youtube.

Kimie Miner Bamboo is a single from Kimie that was released in 2017. The hit single was featured in her third album Proud as the Sun.

The artist runs her own company called Haku Collective. This music and talent production group focuses on the creative output of emerging Hawaiian artists.

Hawaiian musician Taimane Gardner is a music composer and Ukulele virtuoso. Gardner has released six albums with the latest being Hawaiki.

Taimane Tauiliili Bobby Gardner was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1989. She is the daughter of Jack and Elva Gardner.

The 34-year-old won her first-ever Na Hoku Hanohano award in 2019. That year, her single titled Water was nominated for Instrumental Composition of the Year.

The composer started playing ukulele when she was 5 years old. Legendary musician Don Ho discovered this young talent when she was 13.

As a teenager, Gardner became a popular local performer in Waikiki. Her first studio album titled Loco Princess came out in 2005.

Raiatea Helm is a two-time Grammy-nominated vocalist. Helm is known for her powerful vocals and authentic Ukulele strum.

Raiatea Mokihana Maile Helm hails from Molokai, Hawaii. She was born in 1984. 

The singer began her singing journey at the age of 16. She has been awarded two Na Hoku Honohano Awards for her contribution to music.

The 38-year-old has earned a reputation worldwide as Hawaii's premiere female vocalist. Her albums are listed below:

• Sweet & Lovely
• Hawaiian Blossom
• FarAway Heaven

Yvonne Elliman is a well-reputed singer, songwriter, and actress. Elliman also plays piano and guitar.

Yvonne Marianne Elliman hails from Honolulu, Hawaii. She was born in 1951 in a family of Japanese and Irish descent.

The singer produced many hits in the 70s. Her single If I Can't Have You topped the charts in the US.

Elliman took a long hiatus from singing in the 80s until the 90s. In 2004, she made a comeback with her new album Simple Needs.

A list of Yvonne Elliman albums:

• Food of Love
• Rising Sun
• Love Me
• Night Flight

Hawaiian Reggae artists Irie Love hails from Kailua, Hawaii. The talented singer was born in 1982.  

Love gained media attention in 1999 after making a place in the final round of the Brown Bags to Stardom. It was a music competition in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The R&B Reggae singer was signed by Quiet Strom Records, the record label of John Lervolino. 

She was the only new artist to be featured on Lervolino's world music compilation titled Roots Music Volume 2: Private Beach Party.

Bette Midler is a multi-talented American artist. She is a singer, actress, comedian and author.

The veteran has spent over five decades in the entertainment industry. 

Midler was born on December 1, 1945, to her parents Ruth Schindel and Fred Midler. She grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

The 77-year-old is a highly-decorated artist. She is the recipient of four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards and three Primetime Emmy Awards, and many more.

She started her professional career in off-off-Broadway plays. She has released 14 studio albums as a solo artist and sold over 30 million records worldwide.

Hawaiian pop singer Amy Hānaiali'i Gilliom is a vocalist and songwriter. She has been nominated six times for the Grammy Awards.

The artist is best known for reinvigorating Female Falsetto Singing. It is a singing style typical of the Hawaiian tradition.

The vocalist was born and raised on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Her parents and brother were all involved with the youth theatre, Maui Academy of Performing Arts.

Amy Hanaialii Gilliom debut album titled Native Child was officially released in 1995. Her album Generation Hawaii won four Na Hoku Hanohano Awards in 2007.

The highly decorated artist was one of the 2006 Grammy Awards' five finalists in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category.

Hoku Ho is a singer best known for her hit single Another Dumb Blonde from 2000. Ho's music style is labeled as teen pop and Europop.

Hoku Ho Clements was born on June 10, 1981, to Don Ho and Patricia Swallie. She grew up in Oahu, Hawaii with her younger sister.

The 41-year-old received her first music contract from Geffen Records. She released her debut single titled Another Dumb Blonde in 2000.

Perfect Day song Hoku is a popular soundtrack from the film Legally Blonde. Her other popular singles are Perfect Day and O Holy Night.

Ho's first album was titled Hoku which came out in 2000. It was produced by Interscope Records and Geffen

Nicole Scherzinger is the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls. Scherzinger is also a songwriter, dancer, and actress.

Nicole was born in Honolulu, Hawaii but raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Her date of birth is June 29, 1978.

The 44-year-old is the recipient of the ASCAP Pop Music Awards, The Asian Awards, and the BMI Pop Awards. She was nominated for the Grammy Awards in 2006.

The singer joined the Actors Theatre of Lousiville when she was 14 years old. She earned her graduation from the Youth Performing Arts School in 1996.

The Hawaiian released her debut single Get Over Yourself in March 2001. It made history as the first female act to debut at number one on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart.

Paula Fuga is a popular Hawaiian singer and songwriter. Fuga released her first album titled Lilikoi in 2005 with PakPika Productions.

Paula Hiltrudis Fuga was born in 1978 in Waimanalo, Oahu. She was raised in her hometown by her grandparents.

The 45-year-old has worked with many top-tier artists including Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, and Ziggy Marley. She made an opening for Johnson on his All the Light Above It Too World Tour in Koloa in 2018

In 2007, the Hawaiian won the Na Hoku Hanohano award in the Most Promising Artist of the Year category. This made a national sensation and propelled her to stardom.

Paula Fuga's albums and singles:

• Rain On Sunday 
• Lilikoi
• Misery's End
• Beautiful Face
• Country Road

Teresa Bright is a native Hawaiian singer and songwriter. Bright is known for her use of Hawaiian language in much of her repertoire.

Bright is a world-renowned celebrity. Her music is as popular in Japan as it is in Hawaii and the US mainland. Her repertoire also features extensive Jazz and Hapa-Haole.

The Hawaiian launched her professional career in the 80s alongside Mai'i. She was one half of the team "Steve and Teresa."

In December 2020, Bright received a lifetime achievement award from the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts. She has also won the Na Hoku Hanohano Award twice.

Albums:

• Self Portrait
• Tropic Rhapsody
• Blue Skies
• A Bright Christmas

Darlene Ahuna is a Hoku Award-winning singer from Hawaii. Ahuna received the prestigoius award in 1997.

Ahuna is a self-taught singer and ukulele player. She was only 14 when she discovered her groove in music.

At the age of 17, the Hawaiian was already performing with Ku'uipo Kumukahi playing traditional Hawaiian music. 

In 1995, she was introduced to Hula Records by a DJ after he was impressed by her vocal. There she was hired to pursue her solo career.

Ahuna has released three albums with Hula Records. Her partner J.J. served as her professional assistant.

• Darlene Ahuna Album Discography:
• Ulana Ke Aloha
• Ku'u lei Poina 'Ole
• That's the Hawaiian in Me
• Classic Hula

Ku'uipo Kumukahi is a Hawaiian singer nominated as the Female Vocalist of the Year in 1999 by the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts.

Kumukahi's first effort as an artist earned her a nomination for the annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. She was named the most promising new artist.

The singer earned nine nominations and five awards for her solo premiere recording. She won in the category of the Female Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Hawaiian Album of the Year.

Ku'uipo Kumukahi albums:

• Na Hiwa Kupuna O Ku'u One Hanau
• So Sweet
• Ho'ulu'ulu 'Ekahi
• NaLani 'Eha

Natalie Ai Kamauu is a singer and dancer born into a family honoring traditional hula. Kamauu learned the art of entertainment from a very young age.

Kamauu made her mark professionally in 1990 after she won the title of Miss Aloha Hula at the Merrie Monarch Festival. 

During Christmas in 1990, she called to thank radio DJ Iolani Kamauu for playing the Christmas song she has recorded. 

Natalie Ai Kamauu album, La La La La, was nominated for the Grammy Award in 2015 in the category of Best Regional Roots Music Album.

Furthermore, the album earned six nominations at the 2016 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. She won in three categories including Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year.

List of famous songs from Kamauu:

• Shower Tree
• A He Nani Ke Ao Nei
• Uhiwai
• Waimea I Ka La`I
• Ke Kuko E Ka Manawa