"Taimane" means "DIAMOND" in the Samoan language. At just five years of age, Taimane was given her first `ukulele and fell in love with the instrument. At age six, she was called a child prodigy and won her first `ukulele competition competing against boys double her age. Taimane has won numerous ukulele competitions competing against experienced adult professionals.  At eleven years of age, Taimane developed her extraordinary skills by performing on the streets of Waikiki to help raise money for the homeless and continues to do so.

 

At thirteen years of age, Taimane was called the "Hawai`i's female Carlos Santana".  And at fourteen, Taimane was asked by Hawaiian legend Don Ho to perform in his show.  Since then, she has been a featured performer in Las Vegas, Palm Springs, New York, and New Jersey.

 

Over the years, Taimane has developed her own unique style and "recipe of music" by studying with a variety of different music instructors like her own uncles in Samoa, Herb Ohta Jr., Jake Shimabukuro and Bruce Shimabukuro.  "My music is a mixture of rock and roll, pop, Hawaiian and Spanish. Maybe that's why everyone says my music has the unique style. I started to compose songs when I was seven. I write the song first and add the music later. I wish my music could help heal the world." Taimane says.