Birth name Justin Kawika Young Years active 1996–present Name Justin Young | Origin Hawaii, United States Website www.justinsmusic.com | |
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Born August 7, 1978 (age 45) ( 1978-08-07 ) Genres Pop, pop rock, folk, soul, acoustic Associated acts Colbie Caillat
Cassadee Pope | ||
Justin Kawika Young (born August 7, 1978) is a singer/songwriter popular on the contemporary Hawaiian music scene.
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Justin is currently touring with singer/songwriter Colbie Caillat, as lead guitarist and backup singer. He opened up for Cassadee Pope of Hey Monday during her first solo acoustic tour in early 2012.
Music career
After winning first place in a songwriting contest in 1995, Justin was given the opportunity to record a local album in Hawaii. Justin played keyboards, guitar, and ukulele, and wrote six of the ten songs on the record.
In March 1996, Justin's debut album, "No Better Time Than Now" released at number three at Tower Records for Hawaiian albums and remained in the top ten for six weeks. Three of Justin's original songs were released, and each spent several weeks as one of the five most requested songs of the day on local radio stations. While promoting his album, Justin performed throughout Hawaii, including a performance at the Waikiki Shell in front of thousands while opening for the national reggae group, Big Mountain.
In September 1997, Justin released "Soothe You". The album produced four number one radio hits in Hawaii. At the end of the year Justin was picked by one radio station as the number one new artist of 1997. He also received three Hawaiian Music Awards including: "Best Performance By A Rhythm & Blues Artist", "New Artist of the Year", and Honorable Recognition for his version of the classic song "Crazy Love".
Justin's third album, "My Eyes Adore You", released in 1999, includes acoustic ballad called "Was It Loneliness", and a Hawaiian falsetto song inspired by his home called "E Kailua E". In addition, the album includes a cover of John Denver's "Leaving On A Jet Plane," new lyrics to Frankie Vallie's classic "My Eyes Adore You," and a collaboration with local recording group Pure Heart.
Between 2000 and 2003, Justin released five more albums: "Justin & Friends Collection", "Y2J", "The Dreaming Kind", "Postcard", and One Foot on Sand.
Caillat and Justin performed the national anthem at the White House 2011 Easter Egg Roll. Justin's mother, Jan Young, the principal of the American School Riyadh, traveled to watch the performance. Caillat and Justin are strong supporters of the group Farm Sanctuary.
On January 10, 2012, Justin announced via his Facebook page that he would be opening for Cassadee Pope of Hey Monday for part of her first solo acoustic tour in early 2012. They also introduced a song they co-wrote, titled "Lunatic". During the Summer of 2012, Justin Young joined Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw as a special guest on DeGraw's national tour.
Personal life
Young has been dating Colbie Caillat since 2009. At a show in Aspen, CO in September 2014, Caillat sang "Lucky" with Young and then told the audience that the couple had just celebrated their five-year anniversary. The two got engaged in May 2015.