NAHKO
RELEASES VIDEO FOR ‘HAMAKUA’
WATCH HERE
NEW ACOUSTIC EP HAMAKUA AVAILABLE NOW
Singer/Songwriter Nahko has released the official music video for ‘Hamakua’. The single is the third from his debut solo album, My Name Is Bear, following the release of ‘Dragonfly’ and ‘Be Here Now’, and is the title track from his upcoming acoustic EP.
The video features never-before-seen home videos of Nahko from when he first began performing and originally wrote the song at age 18.
Nahko said of the video, “Finally, to Hamakua. The breath of the Creator. The birthing place of so many of the popular Medicine for the People songs. The Hamakua coast rolls along the rocky east side of the Big Island of Hawai’i, a place where I lived for nearly a decade; a place that served as the foundation for my awakening.
I teamed up with filmmaker Dom Walczuk again, the same director who made a number of our first music videos and documentaries on the Big Island, which now have millions of views, and we schemed to tell a reminiscent story of a bear, an island, and a community that grew a young cub and his music. We collected shots that Dom had in the vault from years back and patch worked them with VHS footage I had taken as a teenager of my first open mics and piano recitals. Then we laid foundation shots of who I am now on island, on horseback, in the ocean, to create a juxtaposition of ‘then and now’.
The result is a collage of time well spent and I’m proud to present this visual storyboard that nods to the magic found on the ‘piko’ of the Pacific and within the sounds of my personal journey as a young man. ‘Oi kau ka Iā, e hana i ola honua – while the earth still moves, do all you can. Eo!”
Nahko embarked on his solo acoustic tour last month, with support from Trevor Hall. A hugely accomplished pianist and guitarist, the shows brought a different interpretation to both his new solo work and his catalogue with Medicine For The People. Starting on April 18th in Dublin, the tour included six UK shows, including a sold out date at London’s Omeara on the 23rd.
Over the last five years, Nahko And Medicine For The People have continued to gather dedicated members of their global tribe of likeminded fans as they spread their powerful musical message. They incorporate a variety of sounds, ranging from alternative roots to acoustic rock while promoting social change. Their album HOKA debuted at #10 on Billboard’s Rock Album Chart and #6 on the Alternative Album Chart.
Nahko’s solo album, My Name Is Bear, debuted on a number of Billboard charts on its release in October last year including Independent Albums (#11), Tastemakers (#14), Emerging Artists (#19), Top Album Sales (#43), and the Top 200 Albums. The album also premiered at #1 on iTunes and the headline tour in support of it boasted multiple sold-out dates both Stateside and in Europe.
My Name Is Bear is a 16-track collection that reflects the soul, authenticity and spirit that Nahko’s fans have come to know. It predates Nahko’s rise to iconic status among diehard fans of Medicine For The People. As he puts it, the album serves as a “prequel,” that artfully merges rustic acoustic guitars, upbeat energy, tribal flavors, fiery percussion, and ponderous lyrics.
At the end of the day, My Name Is Bear sets the stage for a whole lot more from Nahko.
According to Kristin 