Justin Young

Class of 1996; singer and songwriter of Hawaiian, pop, and reggae music.

What is Justin Young known for?

Justin Kawika Young, a distinguished alumnus from Kalaheo High School, Kailua, Hawaii, is an accomplished American singer-songwriter known for his contributions to the genres of pop, pop rock, folk, soul, and acoustic music. Born on August 7, 1978, in Hawaii, U.S., Young quickly made a name for himself on the contemporary Hawaiian music scene.

Beginning his musical journey by winning a songwriting contest in 1995, Young got an opportunity to record a local album in Hawaii, where he showcased his multi-instrumentalist prowess by playing the keyboards, guitar, and ukulele and also penned six of the ten songs on the record. His debut album, "No Better Time Than Now," released in March 1996, secured the third spot on the Tower Records for Hawaiian albums, where it remained for six weeks. Three of his original songs from this album were highly requested on local radio stations.

Basking in the success of his debut album, Young performed throughout Hawaii, including a performance at the Waikiki Shell opening for the national reggae group, Big Mountain. His second album, "Soothe You," released in September 1997, garnered four number one radio hits in Hawaii. Young was named the number one new artist of 1997 by a local radio station. His noteworthy accomplishments include receiving three Hawaiian Music Awards for Best Performance By A Rhythm & Blues Artist, New Artist of the Year, and Honorable Recognition for his rendition of the classic song "Crazy Love".

Young's musical expedition continued with the release of his third album in 1998, "My Eyes Adore You," and five more albums between 2000 and 2003. His talent also led him to perform the national anthem at the White House during the 2011 Easter Egg Roll alongside Colbie Caillat.

In 2012, Young announced that he would be opening for Cassadee Pope of Hey Monday for her first solo acoustic tour and introduced a song they co-wrotecalled "Lunatic". That same year, he joined Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw as a special guest on DeGraw's national tour.

On a personal note, Young was in a relationship with singer Colbie Caillat from 2009 to 2020. Apart from his musical endeavors, Young is also a supporter of the group Farm Sanctuary.

Over the years, Young has made significant contributions to the music industry with a large discography including albums like "Justin and Friends Collection"(2000), "Y2J"(2000), "The Dreaming Kind"(2001), "Postcard"(2003), "One Foot on Sand"(2003), "The Very Best Of"(2004), "Demo Sessions..."(2005), "Unplugged"(2006), "All Attached"(2007), "EP"(2012), "Makai"(2013) and more.

Check out more about Justin Young's music and journey on his Wikimedia Commons page.