If you grew up in Hawaiʻi with the radio on—windows down, trade winds rolling in—there’s a good chance Anuhea’s voice is already part of your life soundtrack. Not because she chased “mainland industry” rules, but because she built something rarer: a career that feels like home. Warm, honest, a little cheeky when it needs to be, and always carrying that Maui-to-the-world kind of aloha.
From Makawao beginnings to a sound that’s all her own
Anuhea Jenkins—born and raised in Makawao, Maui—didn’t come up as the classic “music kid” story. Her own telling is full of sports, hustle, and that coach’s-daughter work ethic—until middle school and the performing arts bug started biting. By seventh grade she was boarding on Oʻahu at Kamehameha Schools, learning the rhythm of dorm life, finding her people, and picking up guitar with friends—simple jam sessions that quietly turned into a real creative voice.
After graduation, she headed to Chapman University for film school, then took a soul-searching detour—Australia, backpacking, big perspective—before making a hard but honest decision: come home, reset, and chase what felt true.
Back on Maui, she wasn’t trying to be famous—she was trying to get better. Restaurant gigs, small stages, and eventually a weekly run at Charley’s in Pāʻia, where you learn fast: how to hold a room, how to read the crowd, how to keep the vibe steady even when life is noisy. Those weekly shows helped shape her live chops and the confidence that would carry her into the next level.
When Anuhea’s self-titled debut arrived (2009), it didn’t land like an “industry product.” It landed like a friend you already knew—acoustic guitar, reggae-pop bounce, and lyrics that sound like real talk, not some manufactured storyline. The songs were light when they needed to be, but never shallow.
From there, the accolades started stacking: major Nā Hōkū Hanohano recognition early in her career, and later being named Hawaiʻi’s Female Artist/Vocalist of the Year (including the 2019 era the official bio highlights).
But what really made her stick wasn’t just awards—it was range. She can give you sweet and soft, then switch into a confident, playful “yeah, I said what I said” delivery. That balance—fragility and strength, sweetness and bite—is a big part of why so many listeners feel like her music “gets them.”
Over time, Anuhea’s world expanded: touring the continent, traveling internationally, sharing stages with major artists, and still keeping her roots front and center—Hawaiʻi culture, language, and that down-to-earth way of moving.
Her official bio also points out something a lot of people forget: she’s not only the singer—she has serious visual chops too. Video production was part of her early life, and she’s carried that forward through self-directed visuals and hands-on creative control.
And then life shifted in the deepest way: motherhood. Her son, Ikena Jack, was born in 2013, and the “artist story” became a family story too—touring, creating, and building a career while staying grounded in real life.
So where is Anuhea now?
According to her official site, she’s based out of Kailua-Kona, living with her family while working, writing, and recording—still active, still moving, still building longevity the steady way.
She’s also leaned hard into mental health advocacy in recent years—openly sharing her journey and creating community around it, including her “Just Keep Jamming” talk-story style podcast and the wider message of “Aloha Thyself.”
Musically, the recent chapter has a clear headline: “Lotus.” The album marks a big moment in her catalog (Wikipedia lists Lotus as a 2024 release), and local coverage framed it as a deeply personal project centered on resilience, growth, and self-discovery—very on-brand for an artist who never pretended life is always perfect.
And she’s not tucked away—she’s outside. Her official Shows page lists upcoming live dates (including Hawaiʻi performances and mainland runs), which tells you the engine is still on: band ready, road cases packed, community waiting.
For a lot of local artists, the biggest challenge is staying themselves once the career starts moving. Anuhea’s lane has always been: “I’m going to be real, I’m going to be kind, and I’m going to keep the music honest.” That’s why her fanbase feels like a real ʻohana—because she’s never treated people like numbers.
She’s also a blueprint: proof that Hawaiʻi artists can build long careers without losing their accent, their humor, their softness, or their backbone. Whether you’re on Maui, Oʻahu, Big Island, the continent, or out in Las Vegas with that Ninth Island heartbeat—Anuhea’s music carries that familiar feeling: you might be far, but you’re still connected.
📲 Where to follow (clickable)
- Official Website: AnuheaJams.com
- Instagram: @anuheajams
- Facebook: @Anuheajams
- YouTube: /anuheajams
- X (Twitter): @anuheajams
- Booking / inquiries (from official site): anuhea@anuheajams.com