Allison Izu Song is a local fashion designer and the Owner/CEO/Designer at Allison Izu. She went to University of Hawaii at Manoa and New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. In 2010, she gained national attention when she was featured in Oprah Magazine. She recently celebrated 15 years in business and she says her motivation is empowering women through her brand. In today’s episode, she talks about how her brand and mission has evolved over the years and how she's finding life and business s...
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 64
In this episode of UNCUT BTS we talk about emerging from the holiday fog and routines that we're implementing in 2024. We also bring back Chef Mark Noguchi aka "Gooch" to talk about the epic things he's been up to, including sailing on the last leg of Hōkūleʻa's journey home. Don't forget to Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Connect with Andrew and Kolby: www.uncuthawaii.com https://www.instagram.com/uncut_hawaii https://www.instagram.com/kolbymoser https://www.instagram.com/_andrewtran #u...
Jan 09, 2024•37 min
Carly Kan is a professional volleyball player from Oahu who recently became Hawai’i’s first AVP Champion. She graduated from Punahou where she earned 2013 Gatorade Player of the Year. She went on to play four years at the University of Missouri, where she was a 3x All-American and left the school as the 2nd All-Time Kills leader. She came back home to play two beach volleyball seasons as a grad student at University of Hawai’i at Manoa. After a year abroad playing professionally in Germany, Carl...
Jan 03, 2024•57 min•Ep. 63
Happy New Year! Andrew and Kolby are introducing a brand new series UNCUT BTS. Every Monday, we will take you behind the scenes of our lives, businesses, and our UNCUT Hawaii podcast. We're excited for this new journey filled with candid conversations, the challenges of our personal and business lives and what's going on BTS of the podcast. 🌟 What to Expect: Deep dives into our personal lives Insider stories about our businesses Candid catch-ups with past guests Unfiltered discussions on everyt...
Jan 02, 2024•24 min
Local boy Kainoa Carlson is an Emmy-award winning journalist and co-host of HI Now Daily on Hawaii News Now. Kainoa was born and raised in Kaneohe, graduated from Punahou School in 2007. He played football at the University of Hawaii and has been working in television for over a decade. In this episode, Kainoa talks about the dedication and grind that it took to finally get his dream job and then giving it up to try something new. Airline Sponsor: www.hawaiianair.com Recording at https://www.cpb...
Dec 05, 2023•58 min•Ep. 61
Liam Moleta is a Hawaiian Music Artist and Falsetto singer who gained a following on social media and most recently won the 21st annual Richard Ho‘opi‘i Leo Kiʻekiʻe Falsetto Contest. He grew up in California singing and dancing hula before he moved home to Hawai'i to start his career. He has shared the stage with artists such as Robert Cazimero, Kuana Torres Kahele, Fia and opened for J Boog, The Green, and Rebel Souljahz. In this episode, we talk about growing up as a "poly kid" on the contine...
Dec 05, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 63
More than half way through Season 24 of "The Voice" and Hawai'i's own Kaylee Shimizu is a front-runner and fan favorite, most recently winning the three-way Knockout Round on John Legend's team. Kaylee got all four chairs to turn on the Blind Auditions, when she sang "Gold Slumbers" by The Beatles in honor of her late Grandfather. John raved, “You know you could win The Voice, right?” In this episode, the now 18-year old singer from Ewa Beach talks about her singing journey which began over a de...
Nov 21, 2023•50 min•Ep. 60
It's been a couple of months but we're baaaaack!!! Kolby and Andrew catch up on all the things. Stay 'til the end for a big podcast update! Airline Sponsor: www.hawaiianair.com Drink Sponsor: www.kapenatequila.com Recording at https://www.cpb.bank/tidepools
Nov 20, 2023•18 min•Ep. 59
We are ending Season Four the best way we know how - HAPPY HOUR with the girls!! Three of Kolby's Waimea besties - Ashley, Moani and Tricia - join us to talk mom life, Waimea life, embarrassing stories and things people might not know about Kolby. Pour yourself a glass of wine and hang with us in this BONUS EPISODE. Mahalo for supporting UNCUT Hawaii for four incredible seasons. We will be back with more inspiring and thought-provoking stories from Hawai'i's most interesting and innovative Entre...
Sep 20, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Kaua'i-native Mathieu Williams is a teacher, leader and change-maker in the education space. He was named Hawai‘i Teacher of the Year in 2019 and 20 for the Next 20 by Hawai'i Business Magazine in 2023. He spent 11 years at Kealakehe Intermediate School as a Teach For America special education teacher, a technology and digital media instructor, Assistant Principal and is now back in the classroom - where he thrives - at Kealakehe High School. His curiosity in teaching, learning and challenging t...
Sep 16, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 1
(NOTE: we recorded this episode on 8/14/23, less than a week after devastating wildfires ripped through Maui, killing more than 100 people and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. As of 9/4/23, 58 victims have been identified and hundreds are still missing. Please consider donating to Maui relief efforts) Named one of the "5 Emerging Pacific Islander Artists To Know" by Grammys.com (alongside American Idol winner, Iam Tongi) - Kala‘e Parish is a multi Nā Hoku Hanohano Award winning Nati...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 11
(NOTE: we recorded this episode on 8/14/23, less than a week after devastating wildfires ripped through Maui, killing more than 100 people and destroying thousands of homes and businesses. As of 8/21/23, 850 people are still missing. Please consider donating to Maui relief efforts.) Pua Case is a Kumu Hula, teacher, and aloha ʻāina protector. Her family, the Flores-Case ʻOhana are Native Hawaiian activists and caretakers who are an integral part of the Mauna Kea Movement. Through her organizatio...
Aug 22, 2023•52 min•Season 4Ep. 58
Maui-girl Anuhea Jenkins is referred to as one of Hawai’i’s top female musical artists of all time. She has earned multiple Nā Hoku Hanohano Awards as well as the iHeart Radio Island Music Award for Female Artist of the Year in 2019. A proud advocate for mental health and education Anuhea is the host of the “Just Keep Jamming” podcast, and the founder of the “Aloha Always Foundation” scholarships. In this episode, we talk about the deadly Maui brushfires that claimed over a hundred lives on Augu...
Aug 18, 2023•20 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Chris Iwamura is the CEO and 3rd generation owner of Rainbow Drive-In. Rainbow Drive-In was founded in 1961 by Chris’ grandparents, Seiju and Ayako Ifuku and has served iconic local comfort food to locals and visitors worldwide. The Punahou alum continued his studies at Santa Clara University, graduating with a Master of Science in Computer Engineering. After graduation, Chris chose to stay in Northern California for over a decade, working as a full-stack developer for a handful of smaller start...
Aug 17, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Born and raised in Waipiʻo Valley on Hawaiʻi Island, Native Hawaiian educator and social media influencer ʻIʻinimaikalani Kealiʻikuaʻāina Kahakalau has been immersed in Hawaiian language, culture and traditions since birth. During COVID, ʻIʻini went viral with her hilarious but educational TikTok videos centered around all things Hawaiian. Along with her family, she founded KŪ-A-KANAKA providing Hawaiian language and culture products and services including a game called “Cards for 808” to encour...
Aug 01, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Hawaii’s favorite soul sister, three-time Nā Hōkū HanoHano award-winning singer and songwriter Paula Fuga joins us on UNCUT Hawaii. Paula has headlined the global music circuit and performed on the stages of ABC/Good Morning America, Madison Square Garden, The Sydney Opera House Forecourt, CBS Magnum P.I. and is a three-time return guest artist to The White House. Earlier this year, she had her theatrical debut as Fairy Godmother of “Cinderella” at the historic Diamond Head Theatre, went on tour...
Jul 27, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Justin and Tom Park - co-founders of Honolulu’s Bar Leather Apron - hold the title of having the most outstanding bar in the country. The cocktail bar won Hawaii’s first National James Beard Award earlier this summer. The award is presented to a wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverages. They have also been named one of the Top 50 bars in the US by World’s Best Bars for the second year in a row. In this episode, they talk about their ...
Jul 20, 2023•51 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Chef Philip "Ippy" Aiona was born and raised in Waimea on Hawai'i Island to an Italian-American mother and a Native Hawaiian father. Growing up, he spent most of his time in the kitchen; his dad had an iconic spot in Waimea called "Kamuela Deli" - a Hawaiian Plate Lunch shop and his mom had an Italian Restaurant a few doors down. Ippy went on to graduate at top of his class from the Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco. At 23, he was the youngest finalist on Food Network's hit show "Food Network Star...
Jul 11, 2023•56 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Xeana Kamalani Dung is a Native-Hawaiian, Puerto Rican professional softball player, model, actress and philantropist from Waianae, O’ahu. She is a gold medalist and is known as Hawaii’s first professional softball pitcher. Kama was the former starting pitcher for Fresno State and UC Berkeley and holds multiple all-conference honors and records - including pitching a perfect game in front of her family and friends, which she talks about in this episode. We also talk about her humble beginnings, ...
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Mike Garcia aka Island Magic Mike - is a local comedian from the North Shore of Oahu. Mike first gained notoriety with his skits on TikTok and instagram and quickly gained a giant following, appeared in commercials and emcee’d many events - including Iam Tongi’s American Idol homecoming in his hometown of Kahuku. In this episode, we talk about the inspiration behind his comedy, his rise and the challenge of transitioning into a full-time entertainer and content creator. Get ready to LOL - this e...
Jun 19, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 2
He’s live on air before most people wake up and has been delivering the news for over two decades. For our first episode of Season Four, we get to interview the man behind the anchor desk. Steve Uyehara is a 3-time Emmy award winning TV News Anchor and Journalist. He's also won an Edward R. Murrow and Mark Twain award. Steve co-anchors Hawaii News Now: Sunrise morning starting at 4:30 a.m. and has spent more hours on live TV than most journalists with do in their entire lifetime. In this episode...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Fresh off of the 60th Anniversary of the Merrie Monarch, Kūha'o Zane, Creative Director of Sig Zane Designs and SZKaiao joins us for our first UNCUT on the Road episode. Kūha'o comes from a generational Hula family - grandson of legendary Hawaiian Practitioner and Kumu, Edith Kanaka'ole. He studied graphic design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, was a member of PBN’s Forty Under 40 class of 2015 and member of the Omidyar Fellows Cohort VII. He is also the pres...
May 17, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 12
With songs like “Romeo” and “Jockey Move,” Hoʻaikāne was truly the soundtrack of the 80’s and 90’s in the local Hawaiian music scene and now they’ve entered into a new era. Isaiah Tavares, son of founding member Walter Tavares, has stepped into his dad’s shoes and has taken on the role of 'ukulele player and singing his dad’s favorite tunes such as Romeo, Mauna Kea Sugar and Silver Wings. In this episode, Isaiah talks about what it was like growing up with the legendary band and how decades late...
May 09, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Local boy Heimana Reynolds dreamt about going to the Olympics years before Skateboarding became an Olympic sport. 11 years later, his dream became a reality when skateboarding made its Olympic debut in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. Heimana talks about the challenges of making it big from Hawai'i, how he continues to push himself to the top and what's next in his professional skateboarding journey. Please comment, like and share this episode! Find Heimana here: https://www.instagram.com/heimana_re...
May 03, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 10
You can't get very far around Hawai'i without seeing giant works of art by one of Hawai'i's most sought-after artist/muralist, Kamea Hadar. The Kalani-graduate began studying art at a young age and took classes at the Honolulu Art Academy and the University of Hawaii. He studied at Sorbonne University in Paris, University of St. Louis in Madrid and the University of Tel Aviv, Israel. Kamea has worked with countless brands and businesses big and small, he's a board member of the Hawaii Arts Allia...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Moanalua-graduate Teal Salvador made her first coconut pāpale in January 2020 and went viral virtually overnight. Today, you'll see her famous Cocokealohi pāpale everywhere and she has built a community of 75 wholesalers and over 150,000 followers, including celebrity clients. But as she shares in this episode, the road hasn’t always been easy. Sourcing supplies, keeping up with demand and new challenges that keep coming as she grows her brand. We absolutely love Teal’s journey and where she’s g...
Mar 16, 2023•56 min•Season 3Ep. 8
On this International Women’s Day, Andrew and Kolby are excited to share this episode featuring LexBreezy Hawaii founder, Alexis Akiona. This Hilo-girl launched her modern aloha wear and resort wear brand at the 2016 Merrie Monarch Arts & Crafts Fair when she was just 22. Today her company has 13 employees spread among a brick and mortar in Kailua, production, fulfillment for online orders and a wholesale division. Her LexBreezy children’s line was recently picked up by Nordstrom and her des...
Mar 08, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 7
It's our birthday!! Thank you for supporting our UNCUT Hawaii for a whole year. We have a little chat about how our podcast journey is going so far and what's coming up next! Connect Andrew and Kolby here: https://www.patreon.com/UNCUTHAWAII www.uncuthawaii.com https://www.instagram.com/uncut_hawaii https://www.instagram.com/kolbymoser https://www.instagram.com/_andrewtran...
Mar 02, 2023•6 min
The real question we have for Ryan Kalei Tsuji is: “What DON’T you do?” The Hilo native is the founder of RKT Media and the newest and coolest bar in Chinatown, The Lei Stand...not to mention a color commentator for UH Volleyball (where he was an Assistant Coach) and co-anchor of "Spotlight Hawaii" on Honolulu Star Advertiser. In this episode he talks about the mindset and tools he uses to get things done, the importance of building community and how living through tragedy has changed his perspe...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Luke Shepardson’s world has been turned upside-down after winning “The Eddie” last month. The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational – dubbed the “Super Bowl of surfing” – is a big wave surfing tournament held at Waimea Bay on the North shore - named after big wave surfer and Waimea Bay lifeguard, Eddie Aikau. Luke took time off from his lifeguarding post at Waimea Bay to compete in the event and finished with a near-perfect score of 89.1 points, ahead of defending champion John John Florence in seco...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 4
