Quick Facts
Biography
Kūkahi Lee (born 1999) also known as Kūkahi (pronounced Koo-kah-hee) is an award-winning singer/songwriter from the Big Island of Hawai'i. His self-titled LP, Kukahi won the award for Alternative Album of the Year during the 40th annual Nā Hōku Hanohano Awards (Hawai'i's version of the Grammy Awards) on May 20, 2017. At the age of 17 he became the youngest solo artist to be endowed with a prestigious Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award.
The self-taught multi-instrumentalist was born and raised in Makaha, Makakilo, Kahala and Honolulu on the island of O'ahu, and wrote his first song at the age of 7. He moved to the Big Island when he was fourteen years old and lived in Pu’uanahulu before his family settled down in Waimea. It was here that he was inspired to compose and arrange original music.
Kūkahi released an EP entitled, Raw, at the age of 15, and composed and arranged his debut album, Kukahi the same year. “Kukahi” was released when he was 16-years-old. At the age of 17, he released his second album, Human. His release party was held at the Record Parlour in Hollywood, California.
Music
At the age of 14, Kūkahi started a band called The German Asparagus and performed both original music and covers along with his bandmate in various places on the Big Island.
In 2015 at the age of 15, Kūkahi released an EP titled, Raw. The five song collection was given away to online listeners as a free and downloadable album.
His first full-length album, Kukahi was released in 2016 under the label, Makali'i Productions when the artist was 16. It was nominatedfor an esteemed 2017 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award, and ultimately won in the Alternative Album of the Year category. In a Hawaii News Now Sunrise interview with Billy V, he stated that the album was an experimentation of texture and sounds.
Human is an LP released on May 5, 2017. The album was inspired by social issues and drew from the theme "togetherness". It was composed and arranged around various feelings of love, angst, encouragement, compassion, and anger and its refreshing lyrics are meant to bring mankind together and remind everyone that we are all human.
Charity
Kūkahi has stated that he believes in helping others and giving back to the community and has volunteered to entertain for charitable events. He performed for Habitat for Humanity on his 17th birthday and told an interviewer that this was the best present he could have received. He also performed for Laulima Giving Program (a partnership between KHON2 and Keiki o ka Aina Family Learning Centers to help people in need) in December 2016 during their Laulima Day. He will also be playing at the Big Island Ohana Fest, which is raising money for the Kohala Center and Parents Inc. on August 26.