Taimane
Bio
Virtuoso, songwriter, singer and theater producer, Taimane, has established herself as one of the leading ukulele players in the world, known for her fierce and inventive style of play transcending traditional views of the instrument as a restricted device. Taimane’s musicality and approach to the stage further add to her draw. Through both beautiful originals and one-of-a-kind mashups (seemingly disparate songs (e.g. Led Zeppelin and Beethoven) merged into medleys with pop appeal), Taimane conjures a wide-range of deep emotions smashing the notion of Hawaii music’s being light and simple. Seeing her perform live exponentially amplifies these feelings and makes clear that Taimane is an entertainer first and foremost. With a take-no-prisoners attitude and carefully crafted shows that are the polar opposite of recitals, Taimane demands viewers’ attention every second of every performance eliciting intense, “wow” reactions on cue while leading her audiences on a journey through a range of experiences - mystical, dark and playful. Add it all up, and it’s easy to see how this hapa Samoan (part caucasian and part indigenous Samoan) artist from a small island in the middle of the Pacific (Oahu, Hawaii) has garnered over 20 million video views and 300,000 social media followers to date.
Hailing from a musical Polynesian family including her late mother, Palepa Tauiliili Gardner (Miss Samoa 1978), Taimane’s attraction to the four-string island staple began at age 5. By age 10, she regularly performed in public, busking in Waikiki every Friday night with her father holding down security duties and Waikiki Beach Boys (adults whose home & workplace was the beach) serving as her band. By age 13, Taimane landed a position in Don Ho’s show, literally playing in the spotlight every week until Ho’s passing. Ho was not only a Hawaii legend (his “Tiny Bubbles” hit remained on Billboard’s Hot 200 for over a year making him world famous) but also a consummate entertainer who significantly influenced Taimane’s perspective on performance. Each night, when the typically full house turned its attention to the petite young girl suddenly anointed band leader for a rendition of the surf classic “Wipeout,” it was time to rock.
Following her early years in Waikiki, Taimane walked away from its pop scene and leapt into a completely different world, the art houses of Honolulu’s Chinatown. There, she discovered audiences who valued original songs and began to develop her own style of music, eventually merging a wide-array of genres, from Bach to rock, flamenco infernos to tribal hymns, into mesmerizing shows with universal appeal. Fast forward to today, and you have an artist who tours the world shining bright like a diamond (the Samoan translation of her name) renowned for taking the ukulele to new heights while blazing her own trail in the process.
"Taimane rocks the stage with a sensual vibrancy and a white hot talent that captivates and beguiles!” - Pierce Brosnan (aka 007)
“So much magic unfolded in such short order. Within the first moments of Taimane's stunning set, we hear her play fiery flamenco, a famous phrase from the opera Carmen, a touch of Bach and more than a nod to her Hawaiian homeland, all on her ukulele.” - Bob Boilen, Host of NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk Concert’ Series
"I didn’t see anyone at the [SXSW 2019] festival doing anything close to what she [Taimane] does on stage. She shreds on ukulele and rocks everything from Beethoven to Led Zeppelin. Somehow she manages to not only rock out but connect the audience with meaningful Hawaiian traditions and dances." - Austin American-Statesman
“My first pick is a woman from Honolulu...Taimane Gardner...I entered this room...and she’s playing the ukulele like you would not believe. She can do so much with this tiny little instrument.” - Katie Presley, NPR’s ‘Pop Culture Happy Hour’ - ‘Music Discoveries from SXSW 2019’ Episode
“Taimane could open for anyone from a punk band to Celine Dion.”
- Harvey Leeds, former Sony Music SVP
“Every so often we discover an artist as he or she is about to emerge into a much bigger arena. These experiences have included Chris Botti, Trombone Shorty, Kamasi Washington and Lake Street Dive. Now, we have a new discovery - Taimane. She's destined for a big, bright future, and I encourage you to catch her show as soon as you can.” - Bruce Labadie, Artistic and Festival Director of San Jose Jazz
“A phenomenally talented ukulele virtuoso, Taimane has developed a flamenco-inspired strumming technique that is breathtaking.” - Jon Woodhouse, The Maui News
“Absolutely fantastic show!”
-Jerry VanLeeuwen, Executive Director, California Center for the Arts Escondido
“It was an incredible performance!”
-Todd Stein, President & CEO, Mid-America Arts Alliance
“What an amazing artist!”
-Kristine Bretall, Director of Performing Arts, Sun Valley Center