“Iʻm a fan of tradition and Kamaka is just that, staying true to tradition all the whileremaining relevant in the innovations of today. I just love to play Kamaka ukuleles because of the sound of it, the resonance and tonal quality, not to mention the breathtaking artistry and craftsmanship that goes into each and every hand-crafted Kamaka uke. It just feels good... in the hands and in the ears.
Although she is primarily a Kī Hōʻalu (Hawaiian slack key) artist by trade, Aja started atthe age of five with ukulele lessons, every Saturday morning at Roy Sakuma UkuleleStudios in ʻAiea, until she was ten. It was her grandpa that inspired her to want to learnhow to play music so she could play with him when heʻd come to visit. Eventually it sparked her interest in guitar and Hawaiian Slack Key that evolved into a passion for Hawaiian Language and composing Hawaiian Music altogether. Fast forward to June of 2016, Aja released her debut EP entitled “Huaʻi” which features four original songs including one ukulele instrumental and three cover songs. ‘Huaʻi’was then nominated for two Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards in 2017. Aja released her first full length album in May of 2018 entitled, “Pilina”. ‘Pilina’ features nine original songs including one ukulele instrumental and two cover songs. “I always like to put in an ukulele instrumental on my projects just as a way to kind of “tip my hat” to where it all started with the ukulele."