HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Well-known Hawaii recording artists say a concert promoter has not paid them tens of thousands of dollars for multiple shows in Japan.
Grammy-nominated musician Weldon Kekauoha said the promoter, Masa Honda, owes him about $60,000 after performing at 11 events over the past month and a half.
Kekauoha has been working with Honda for more than 15 years.
“You know how we are in Hawaii. We consider things we, people we work with, not only as business people, but, you know, you share time and then you feel like family. That’s just how it is in Hawaii. So it is disappointing,” Kekauoha said.
The last and largest concert of the tour, with an audience of about 500, was canceled on Saturday. Kekauoah and the other performers addressed the hundreds in attendance about why they were canceling.
“It became an issue of ‘how do we not disappoint our fans?’” Kekauoha added. “It doesn’t change my attitude towards doing business here in Japan. It still is a great place. The people are wonderful. There are funny people everywhere you go.”
Kekauoha is now seeking legal help and said Honda has “been going dark a little bit.”
Grammy-nominated Hawaiian music star Natalie Ai Kamauu and Grammy winner Kalani Pea were also not compensated.
The incident had the award-winning Hawaiian music group Na Hoa cancel their scheduled shows with Honda.
“We didn’t want false advertisement that we were coming and then this person to get away with that because we did get receive messages that people have already bought tickets for that November show. Just to stand in solidarity,” said Na Hoa member Ikaika Blackburn.
“We are all just kind of a little bit saddened, but, you know, we’ll still do what we do,” Kekauoha said. “It’s kind of our love for, you know, this part of our culture, the music and the dance, is going to be with us all the time.”
Hawaii News Now reached out to Honda, and we’re waiting to hear back.
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