Meet Award-Winning Musician Kala‘e Camarillo in This Month’s Nā Mele

Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawai‘i

The sweet sounds of island music run through Kalaʻe Camarillo’s veins. The six-time Nā Hōkū Hanohano award winner comes from a long line of musicians and music educators and is continuing the tradition as a music teacher at Kamehameha Middle School Kapālama Campus by day. By night, he is a performer, honing his passion for songwriting every chance he gets.

“If you were to look at my phone and all my voice memos, there’s a lot of random song ideas that appear throughout the day,” explains Camarillo. “ A lot of the melodies and words come to me while I’m driving, so I just record myself … and later on, I can go and see what I have and see if I can use it to spark more ideas.”

Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawai‘i

Each day, each school year, this teacher is also a student, finding inspiration and discovering ways to share it.

“I’ve seen everything my dad passed on to his students. A lot of them are big-time musicians today, so I just want to pass on everything that I’ve learned from and been blessed to be around my whole life, so hopefully, my students can enjoy music the same way I do.”

Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawai‘i

In his Nā Mele debut on Sept. 29, Camarillo performs seven original songs highlighting his contemporary island style. Each song is crafted to connect and evoke emotions through the lyrics and the sentiment at the core of each composition.

“When I wrote ʻSands of Old Lahaina,’ I had a lot of people reaching out to me, a lot of people commenting on my music video, sharing how they were stuck in the ocean … and how this song I wrote really helped them to heal and get through that tough time,” says Camarillo. “It was really hard to be away from my family and friends that survived the fires, and it ended up turning into a song able to shine a light and a little bit of hope to the people of Lahaina.”

Photo: Courtesy of PBS Hawai‘i

From serious to light-hearted, Kala‘e Camarillo’s music takes listeners on a journey of love, resilience, appreciation and dedication.

Nā Mele: Kala‘e Camarillo

Monday, Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m.

Broadcast and streaming on pbshawaii.org and YouTube

SEE ALSO: PBS Hawai‘i Presents Pu‘uwai Haokila: The Story of How Hawai‘i Shaped Modern Music

Every month, HONOLULU publishes a blog written by the folks at PBS Hawai‘i, the only locally owned, statewide television station in Hawai‘i that receives support mainly through donations. Visit pbshawaii.org to learn more about exceptional, locally produced shows and the most prominent provider of educational and national programming. Explore music and the arts, discover in-depth documentaries and learn what makes Hawai‘i so special. Follow PBS Hawai‘i on all platforms: @pbshawaii