Hawaii was the last state to be added to the union, but it has surely made up for lost time. Besides being an exotic tourist locale, the Aloha state is home to a wide variety of artists and musicians. Everyone from Broadway stars to chart-topping pop singers got there start here. (Some may have even collaborated. Here are 25 surprising cross-genre mashups.)
To compile this list of the biggest musicians from Hawaii, 24/7 Tempo consulted various musical databases. From there, we consolidated the list to reflect the biggest names from a variety of musical genres. Then, we consulted websites like Biography and Britannica for the artist’s biographical information.
James Mercer
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
James Mercer is a singer-songwriter, musician, and lead singer of The Shins. He first rose to prominence after The Shins were lionized in the movie “Garden State.” The band’s following release, “Wincing the Night Away,” peaked at number two on the Billboard Charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
After the success of The Shins, James Mercer embarked on a solo career. Besides being featured on various soundtracks, Mercer created a band with the famous producer Danger Mouse called Broken Bells. The band’s debut, self-titled album, “Broken Bells,” featured a number of Billboard-charting hits and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
Don Ho
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Born Donald Tai Loy Ho, Don Ho was a singer, entertainer, and traditional Hawaiian pop musician. He started singing in his mother’s bar, which earned him enough attention to get signed to Reprise Records. He put forth a number of chart-topping albums before releasing his best-known song, “Tiny Bubbles,” which stayed on the charts for nearly a year.
Being a constant fixture on the Hawaiian bar and club scene helped Ho capitalize on the state’s growing tourism economy. His success also led to appearances on multiple hit TV shows including, “I Dream of Jeannie,” “Sanford and Son,” and “The Brady Bunch.” Eventually, he created his own variety television show called “The Don Ho Show.” (Discover the biggest hits of the 1960s, according to Billboard.)
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Born Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole (also known as IZ), Israel Kamakawiwo’ole was a singer, songwriter, and activist. He first rose to prominence as a member of the Hawaiian band The Mākaha Sons of Niʻihau. IZ, however, would not taste true fame until after he went solo in the early 90s. His second album, “Facing Future,” would go on to become Hawaii’s first platinum-selling album.
Though IZ died in 1997, his music, especially his cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” would see unprecedented success in the years that followed. Featured in movies, television shows, and countless commercials, Iz’s version of the song would top the charts and stay there for a long time. This helped his posthumous release, “Alone in Iz World” debut at number one on the Billboard charts. (These are the albums that stayed at No. 1 for the longest time.)
Arthur Lyman
- Hometown: Kauai, Hawaii
Another one of the biggest musicians to come out of Hawaii was vibraphone and marimba player Arthur Lyman. A musician from an early age, Lyman first came to prominence with his band, The Arthur Lyman Group. With this group, Lyman helped popularize a fusion of Polynesian music called Exotica.
During this period, Lyman and his group released more than 400 singles and 30 albums, three of which became certified gold records. Though he had a number of top-charting hit songs, Lyman’s song “Yellow Bird,” peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard charts. Legacy-wise, Lyman is now considered the “King of Lounge Music.” (Discover Baby Boomers who are still making hit albums.)
Bruno Mars
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Born Peter Gene Hernandez, Bruno Mars is a singer-songwriter, producer, and undoubtedly, one of the biggest musicians from Hawaii. Though he got his start producing music, Mars rose to fame with vocal features on various hit pop songs. Since then, Mars has become one of the biggest names in popular music. Not only has he sold 130 million albums worldwide, Mars has also won 15 Grammy Awards and holds three Guinness World Records.
While a staple of modern music, Mars is also a noted philanthropist. Much of his charitable work focuses on his native state of Hawaii. Some of these include a donation of 24,000 meals for The Salvation Army U.S.A. Western Territory’s annual Thanksgiving dinner, as well as a donation of profits to Honolulu Community College’s Music & Entertainment Learning Experience program.
Yvonne Elliman
UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 01: Photo of Yvonne ELLIMAN (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Yvonne Elliman is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to prominence after being discovered and invited to perform in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.” From there, Elliman branched out as a musician, scoring a number of chart-topping hits in the 1970s.
These hits include her song, “Love Me,” and a cover of Barbara Lewis’ “Hello Stranger,” which hit No. 1 on the adult contemporary chart. However, her biggest hit was a song by the famed disco group The Bee Gees. This song, “If I Can’t Have You,” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. (Learn about the biggest artist who’ve never had a number one hit.)
Mike Starr
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Born Michael Christopher Starr, Mike Starr was a musician and bassist. Though he was known in the Seattle grunge scene for years due to his partnership with many local bands, Starr rose to prominence with the legendary band Alice in Chains. After the band signed to Columbia Records, it saw instant success.
That fame would be short-lived for Starr, however, as he left the band just before the release of its biggest album. Due to his escalating drug addiction, Starr would run afoul of the law a handful of times in subsequent years. In regards to his drug addiction, Starr was featured on the third season of the reality show “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.”
Bette Midler
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
No doubt, one of the biggest musicians to come from Hawaii is singer, actress, comedian, and author Bette Midler. Midler first rose to prominence singing in gay bathhouses, where she developed a sizable following. From there, Midler became a wildly successful musical act, having sold over 30 million records worldwide over the course of her career.
Later, Midler made a foray into acting, with roles in movies like “Down and Out in Beverly Hills,” “Hocus Pocus,” and “The Addams Family. During her long career, Midler has earned numerous accolades. These include three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Tony Awards.
Nicole Scherzinger
- Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, Nicole Scherzinger is a musician, dancer, actress, and television personality. She first rose to prominence as lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls. With her at the helm, the groups released several high-grossing albums that spawned multiple hits.
After a successful solo music career, Scherzinger began appearing on television. These include her role as a judge on shows like “The X Factor,” and “Australia’s Got Talent.” For her success, Scherzinger earned nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Jack Johnson
- Hometown: North Shore, Hawaii
Born Jack Hody Johnson, Jack Johnson is a singer-songwriter and one of the biggest musicians from Hawaii. During his musical career, Johnson has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts with multiple albums including “Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George,” “Sleep Through the Static,” and “To the Sea.”
Besides music, Johnson is also a noted activist. His charity work includes the creation of two foundations with his wife, the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation and the Kōkua Hawaii Foundation. During his career, Johnson has been nominated for a Grammy Award twice. (Learn about the best-selling musicians who have never won a Grammy.)