Josh Tatofi is coming home. The Honolulu-born singer returns to Blue Note Hawaii this Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17, for two hometown shows as the venue's 2026 artist-in-residence, bringing along songs from his brand-new album, Paniolo Country.
Tatofi, known to fans as the “Polynesian Luther Vandross,” is a singer, songwriter and musician from Honolulu who blends traditional Hawaiian influences with modern R&B, soul and pop, according to KITV. As reported by KHON2, both shows will feature Keilana joining Tatofi as the opening artist on Friday night, and fans can expect to hear music from the new record across the two-night run.
Both nights are set for 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. shows, with doors opening at 5 p.m. for the earlier performance, per the same KITV report. Blue Note Hawaii's own event listing notes that a free custom country photo will be available next to the box office before each of the four shows, and Blue Note Hawaii confirms Tatofi is officially back as the venue's 2026 artist-in-residence.
A Nashville Record Rooted in Family
Paniolo Country blends Hawaiian roots with country soul and was recorded in Nashville, according to KHON2's report. The album includes Tatofi's own version of “Baby Blue,” a song tied to deep family history — it has a connection through Tatofi's father and the Hawaiian group Kapena, the station notes. Separately, Nashville.com reports that “Baby Blue” was originally recorded 25 years earlier by his father, Tivaini Tatofi, who performed it with Kapena.
That same outlet reports Tatofi made his Grand Ole Opry debut on a Tuesday, August 11, becoming just the fourth Polynesian artist to perform on that stage. The outlet also reported that Paniolo Country was announced around that time as arriving October 2 via ROCK WALL / EMPIRE. Tatofi's catalog has surpassed 200 million streams worldwide, according to his Grand Ole Opry artist page, which also states that in 2026 he entered a new chapter with an all-new Soul/Island/Country album release under EMPIRE.
First Country Dive, Built on a Hawaiian Legacy
Paniolo Country marks Tatofi's first deep dive into the country genre, according to its listing on Apple Music. Tatofi has received multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards over his career, Blue Note Hawaii's event page notes, and his father's membership in The Electrifying Kapena threads directly through the new album's most personal track.
There is some discrepancy in the record about when Tatofi's debut album arrived: Blue Note Hawaii states his debut album, “This Love,” was released in 2016, while his Grand Ole Opry artist page states it came out in 2011. Either way, the throughline from that early release to Paniolo Country traces a career that has carried Tatofi from Honolulu clubs to Nashville's most storied stage and now back to Blue Note Hawaii for the weekend.
KHON2 reports that premium seating for the shows costs $75, while loge seating and bar-area tickets cost $55. Blue Note Hawaii provides tickets and further information on its own website for fans looking to catch either night.
