Although the ukulele may be a highly purchased novelty item for many 21st-century indie artists (Zooey Deschanel, for example), very few artists have utilized the Hawaiian instrument to its fullest creative potential like Shimabukuro.
Shimabukuro is a Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso who brings a classic rock style to the peaceful, four-stringed instrument. Shimabukuro went viral on YouTube for his cover of George Harrisonâs âWhile My Guitar Gently Weepsâ back in 2006 (with over 13 million hits to date), and has since branched out from his Internet fame, releasing 10 albums as a solo artist.
Unique to Shimabukuro is his ability to recreate classic, recognizable songs on the ukulele.
âI usually cover songs that I grew up listening [to],â says Shimabukuro. âThere are millions of great songs out there.â
Shimabukuro has covered old favourites like Queenâs âBohemian Rhapsody,â Leonard Cohenâs âHallelujah,â and Judy Garlandâs âOver the Rainbow,â as well as more recent tunes like Adeleâs âRolling in the Deepâ and Daft Punkâs âGet Lucky.â Shimabukuroâs albums also include many of his own original compositions.
Shimabukuro has big plans for 2014.
âIâll be touring the rest of [this] year and hoping to get back in the studio toward the end of 2014,â says Shimabukuro. âI plan to release a new record later next year.â
In his last album, Grand Ukulele (2012), Shimabukuro took his signature ukulele sound and recorded with a 29-piece orchestra with no overdubs. The album, produced by Alan Parsons (The Beatlesâ Abbey Road, Pink Floydâs The Dark Side of the Moon, and the Alan Parsons Project), has reached number two in the Billboard Top World Albums in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
On Saturday, July 12 at 8:20 p.m., Shimabukuro will be taking the Main Stage at the Winnipeg Folk Festival.
âIâm very excited to be playing at this yearâs Winnipeg Folk Festival. Iâve heard so many wonderful things about the festival and [am] honoured to be making my first appearance there,â says Shimabukuro.
âItâs always inspiring to discover new artists at these type of festivals. I love walking around and checking out the other performers.â