Kalaʻe Camarillo was born and raised in Kihei, Maui. He is a third generation musician/music educator and is currently the Kanikapila Kumu at Kamehameha Middle School, Kapālama Campus. In 2004, at the age of 12, he began performing weekly with his father, Rama, at the Maui Coast Hotel. In 2009, as a high school senior at Kamehameha Maui, he and his cousin, Dane Lum Ho, won the Hawaii state wide “Band Champ” competition, awarding the duo the opening act for two major groups: The Stylistics and America. Today, after three solo releases, he has received 6 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award awards, most recently for his original song, “Sands of Old Lahaina,” which was awarded Song of The Year, Single of The Year, and Music Video of The Year.