January 6-9, 2027 

Friday August 21st 

6:00pm - 9:00pm

Alaloa Lounge 

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KRISTIAN BUSH

Kristian Bush is country music’s renaissance man a shape-shifting creator who thrives on the genre’s fringes while staying true to its creative heartbeat. His recent run as a producer has surged with artists including Megan Moroney, K. Michelle, and Runaway June, earning him three CMA Award nominations in 2025. It’s one more lane where he stretches norms, embraces creative freedom, and refuses to quit. Bush has founded two wildly successful duos in different genres, Sugarland and Billy Pilgrim  launched a solo career, formed the improvisational rock band Dark Water, and explored lo-fi chill music through Cabin Chill. His songwriting also remains in constant demand. “Creating things where there was nothing before is a genuine thrill,” he says. “You never quit trying.”

A multi-platinum, two-time GRAMMY® winner, he is best known as one-half of Sugarland with Jennifer Nettles. In 2024, he celebrated Sugarland’s 20th anniversary with a co- headlining arena tour with Little Big Town while also marking 34 years with Billy Pilgrim, which made its Grand Ole Opry debut that same year. “I love that people are still putting the clues together that the guy from Sugarland is one of the guys from Billy Pilgrim,” he laughs. Sugarland earned accolades from the Recording Academy, CMA, and ACM for hits including “Stay,” “Baby Girl,” “Stuck Like Glue,” and “Life in a Northern Town.” Billy Pilgrim, Bush and Andrew Hyra began in 1990, released five albums in 11 years, and landed lasting traction with “Sweet Louisiana Sound” and “Insomniac,” which resurfaced decades later in The New York Times. In 2024, they recommitted to their trademark harmonies and folk-rock storytelling.That same exploratory spirit drives Dark Water, Bush’s collaboration with brother Brandon Bush and guitarist Benji Shanks. Formed in 2020, the group released One Step Ahead of the Robot in Fall 2025. “Whereas Sugarland is a bestseller you read once, Dark Water is the thing you keep picking back up,” he says. The trio also records as Cabin Chill, steadily releasing lo-fi tracks throughout the year. They’re the sonic backbone of Moroney’s albums, with Bush producing while Brandon and Benji serve as her studio band. Two decades in, Bush is still experimenting or, as he puts it, “finding joy in the challenge of an ever-expanding creative space.”

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PAYTON SULLIVAN

Born in Jacksonville, Florida and raised just outside Nashville in Fairview, Tennessee, Payton Sullivan grew up surrounded by songs and sisters. “My mom sang Jewel and Sugarland around the house,” she remembers. “I was writing songs in my doggy diary by third grade about a mean girl at school. That’s when I realized, ‘Wow, this is an outlet.’” By high school, her first original song won a local talent show and her first paycheck confirming to her that she was born to write and perform. In 2020, America met Sullivan as a member of Team Blake on NBC’s The Voice, the moment that ignited her career and set her journey in motion. The real story began afterward when life stripped her to the essentials. After leaving a young marriage, Sullivan boarded a one-way flight to Hawaii with nothing but a guitar, a journal, and her best friend’s promise of a couch. “I gave up everything to get that divorce done,” she says. “I didn’t want anything. I wanted to start all the way over.” She found herself living on a ranch as a farmhand during the pandemic, trading hard work for a cabin and a chance to heal. “That’s when I started writing songs that felt like me lighter, happier. I realized I’m supposed to share what life looks like when you’re bold enough to be independent, find yourself first, and not rely on those sticky, icky men.” That revelation sparked a sound and a new identity. Sullivan calls it The Ultimate Coastal Cowgirl: a fusion of country storytelling and island rhythm. “Everyone knows what a coastal cowgirl looks like,” she says, “but no one knows what she sounds like.” She explains it isn’t tiki bars and piña coladas it’s a lifestyle.“Country music is about storytelling; island music is about rhythm. Blend the two, and you can go anywhere.” Her breakout moment came with a duet alongside island chart-topper Maoli, which led to a Boots on the Ground Tour across the Pacific. That collaboration also helped her define her style one that’s both beach-kissed and country-rooted.

“People miss the depth of Hawaiian music,” she explains. “It’s not surface. It’s soul, and respect for the land and ocean.”

Her recent single, “Country to Me,” written by Sullivan alone, is earning early attention from country radio a dream she once thought impossible. The heartfelt tribute to her grandmother, who helped raise her, began at a piano during the Hawaii Songwriters Festival. “Everybody’s got back roads and Bible notes,” she notes, “but my country was my grandma her sweet

tea, dirt on your feet, and her cross I still wear.” The song’s island-inspired production, courtesy of Miami-based producer J Vibe, marries the heart of Nashville with the heartbeat of the Pacific. The Hawaii Songwriters Festival also connected her with Kristian Bush of Sugarland the very artist she grew up singing along with. “God is funny,” she laughs. “My first karaoke song was Sugarland, and now I’m in the studio with Kristian Bush. What in heaven’s name?” Their creative partnership has become the cornerstone of her debut EP, due early 2026. “So many people told me, ‘Go co-write,’” she says. “Kristian said, ‘No. Dig deeper. Get back in your Jeep in Hawaii and keep writing by yourself.’ That changed everything.” The six-song project arriving in phases through early 2026 captures both grit and grace. Highlights include the anthemic “Pretty Little Divorcee” (co-written with Bush and Connie Harrington) “I just wanted to shout it from the rooftops: where all my pretty little divorcees at?”  the tough-love “Blondie” (“Blondie, take it from me it’s time to leave”), the tender “Pink” (about a new love who helped her love being feminine again”), and the playful “Cowboy Out of You.” At the core of it all is empowerment. “Women are a lot stronger than they give themselves credit for,” Sullivan says. “I want my music to help them find that strength to leave what’s breaking them, but still believe there are good men out there.” And as for what she hopes fans feel when they hear her songs? She grins: “I don’t care if people just say, ‘Oh, she sounds good.’ Roll down the damn windows, blast it till the speakers might blow, and let yourself breathe again. That’s what I want people to feel free.” Now based on O‘ahu, Sullivan is releasing new music consistently and inviting fans to join her for the Ultimate Coastal Cowgirl Experience, where Cheehaw a blend of Southern yeehaw and Polynesian cheehoo reigns supreme.“It’s country music with sand on its boots and salt on its lips,” she says. “It’s where I found my voice and where I’m finally home.”

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KAMALANI KAWA'A

Is an up-and-coming artist whose music is steadily gaining attention as more listeners begin to discover her voice and story. Rooted in Hawaii, Kamalani brings authenticity and heart to her music, blending modern sounds with the cultural influence of ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and island life. As a native Hawaiian speaker, language and storytelling play an important role in her creative process, allowing her to share music that feels both personal and meaningful.

Alongside her team at Sparky’s Records, Kamalani continues to create music and develop projects that resonate with audiences and capture the attention of listeners. With momentum building and a growing fan base, she is quickly establishing herself as an artist to watch.​​

94 TUNEZ

June “Tunez” Moananu, known professionally as 94Tunez, is a vocalist, songwriter, and arranger from Waipahu, Hawai‘i. Best known as a founding member and lead vocalist of the internationally acclaimed reggae group Rebel Souljahz, 94Tunez has helped shape the sound of modern island music through his unmistakable voice and mastery of vocal harmony. He began singing in church at the age of 7 and quickly discovered his gift for arranging vocals and connecting with audiences. Drawing inspiration from ‘90s R&B icons like Usher, Brian McKnight, and Boyz II Men, as well as his deep Samoan faith and island upbringing, 94Tunez blends soul, reggae, and spiritual energy into every performance.

With three albums under Rebel Souljahz, a Song of the Year win at the 2018 Island Music Awards (“Spaceship”), and ongoing work on the group’s sixth studio album, 94Tunez continues to be a driving force in Hawai‘i’s music scene. Now based in Maui, he is also carving out a solo path that reflects his personal story, faith, and growth, while remaining a proud, core member of Rebel Souljahz. 94Tunez’s music is a testament to love, family, and purpose. Whether performing onstage or recording in the studio, his mission remains the same: to spread aloha and remind the world that through God, all things are possible. ​