Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Krahula

Hi Matt, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

My name is Matt Krahula. I am a singer-songwriter based in Honolulu, Hawaii. My musical journey began at the age of 9 with upright bass lessons and orchestra through public school. My love for music eventually lead me to the Purchase Conservatory of Music where I studied with Timothy Cobb (principal bassist of the New York Philharmonic). While in conservatory, I started playing a lot of electric bass. I was playing in a synth pop group called Fire Flies and I thought it would be really amazing to have them do one of my songs. The guys writing the songs for that group had been writing since they were kids and I was just getting the bug. I knew I had a lot of catching up to do so I started writing songs every day. Sometimes I’d write two or three songs in an afternoon. They weren’t all great but it was the beginning of me honing my craft as a songwriter. Three of my songs were actually slated to be on the 3rd Fire Flies album but during the recording process the group disbanded. Those songs became the foundation for my first record with The Nightmare River Band, which every member of Fire Flies performed on. We’re all still great friends almost 20 years later.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

There have been plenty of challenges. I think the main thing is trying to stay positive when things start to feel stagnant. 2020 is a huge moment that comes to mind. I watched a lot of lifelong musicians have to throw in the towel because everything they worked for was gone overnight. The life of a musician is tough because so much of it is out of your control. But you just forge on. I honestly couldn’t imagine following any other path.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

As I mentioned, I am a singer-songwriter. I write music that tends to fall into the Alt-Folk Americana genre’s. I’ve written songs that have been featured in television shows such as 9-1-1 on Fox, American Pickers, Say Yes To The Dress. Aside from my work as a songwriter/composer, I also work as a sideman on electric and upright bass. I currently play bass full time with Grammy Nominated Henry Kapono. We just wrapped up a sold out West Coast tour. When I’m not playing bass with Henry or performing my own music, I’ve also worked as a bassist for hire with popular island artists such as John Cruz, Tavana, Kalae Parish, Alx Kawakami & Jenny Yim. I think something that sets me apart from others in this industry is my classical training. I bring a skill set that was developed though hours of practice at a young age. As a songwriter this background shows up in my original and dynamic writing and arrangements. As a sideman, I think this background shows up in my work ethic. I pride myself in always showing up to shows and rehearsal prepared, on time, and ready to rock.

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?

A lot of folks around the islands see me playing with Henry Kapono and think that I’m primarily a bassist. Bass is a huge part of my life and career. However, I think people are surprised to find out that I spent ten years touring in a Folk Rock band and that I have a thriving career as a songwriter/solo performer. I started fresh in Hawaii about 6 years ago. Other musicians and fans are often commenting on how quickly I moved up the ladder here. When they find out how much I had accomplished as an artist before moving to Hawaii it seems to make more sense. Most recently, I released an album called Last Goodbye 11. It was a tribute to an album I released 11 years ago with The Nightmare River Band. Each song from the original album was re-imagined by a new musician. The musicians were a collection of friends I’ve made over my career of touring and performing. I think people were caught off guard by the record and its been opening a lot of doors for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.krahula.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattkrahula
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattkrahula
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mattkrahula
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/mattkrahula

Image Credits

Cover photo by Kendra Baxter
Photos 1, 2, 5, 6 by Josa Comstock
Photo 3 by Kendra Baxter
Photo 4 by Manish Gosalia