Robi Kahakalau

Hawaiian vocalist and guitarist Robi Kahakalau blends island traditions with reggae, pop, folk, rock balladry, singer/songwriter material, and occasional jazz or R&B accents. Her command of languages matches that breadth: she speaks English, French, Hawaiian, and Tahitian fluently, drawing on all four in her recorded work. Music ran in the family from the start—her grandfather Tutu instructed students in traditional Hawaiian styles in Boston while playing ukulele and steel guitar, and her father performed jazz bass in the 1940s as Bob Carter. Her sister Ku writes songs independently and has contributed several pieces to Kahakalau’s projects. Kahakalau launched her professional path in 1990 by joining the Hawaiian Style Band, where she handled lead vocals on the group’s two widely praised releases, Vanishing Treasures in 1992 and Rhythm of the Ocean in 1994. Her first solo outing, the 1995 album Sistah Robi, brought her stardom across Hawaii and multiple local music honors. The 1997 follow-up, Keiki O Ka’Aina, reinforced her standing as the islands’ premier female singer. She then stepped away from performing for several years to serve as an associate professor of Hawaiian language and studies. In 2000 she reemerged with All I Want, pairing original Hawaiian compositions by her sister Ku with interpretations of songs by Bob Marley, the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, and Tracy Chapman.