VOICEMASTER • EST. 1989

The History of
Voicemaster

From a singing school that began in Hawaiʻi in 1989 to the vocal development work it has become today.

Voicemaster founder Junior Kekuewa Jr. — Junior Kekuewa Jr.
Founder

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI

For more than three decades, Voicemaster has grown through one thing above all else: working directly with the human voice.

What began with Junior Kekuewa Jr. traveling to students’ homes to teach children how to sing grew into lessons from a recording studio he built in his own home, then a longtime singing school in Kalihi, and eventually the approach to vocal development that defines Voicemaster today.

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This is the story of how Voicemaster began and how the work continued to evolve.

WHERE IT BEGAN

It Started With
Singing Lessons

1989

Voicemaster began in 1989 as Voicemaster Singing School, founded by Junior Kekuewa Jr.

In the beginning, Junior traveled to students’ homes to teach children who wanted to learn how to sing.

As more students began working with him, he built a recording studio in his home and started teaching there.

Children were soon joined by teens and adults. Some wanted to sing simply because they loved it. Others wanted to perform or become more confident using their voices.

As the number and range of students grew, so did Voicemaster.

Voicemaster students Stephanie, Megan, and Alden

EARLY VOICES
Students of Voicemaster

A HOME IN KALIHI

Two Decades of
Voicemaster
Singing School

2000—2020

A turning point came when Junior met Wayne, beginning a chapter that helped Voicemaster Singing School become more established.

In 2000, Voicemaster opened a physical location in Kalihi.

For the next two decades, it became the home of Voicemaster Singing School.

Children, adults, beginning singers, experienced performers, and people who simply wanted to become more comfortable with their voices all came through the school.

Each came with a different voice and a different reason for being there.

Over time, working with that range of voices would help shape the direction of Junior’s work.

KALIHI
20 YEARS

A place for
every voice.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE HISTORY

Voices of
Voicemaster

Across the years, Voicemaster students performed, competed, appeared on television, entered pageants, recorded music, and performed on stages throughout Hawaiʻi and beyond.

A Voicemaster student performing on stage — On stage

Voicemaster performer Sharon Sanchez — Performers

Voicemaster student with an award — Competitions

Voicemaster student Andrew Simbahon — Young voices

Students appeared in programs and competitions including Hawaii Stars, Brown Bags to Stardom, Kiddieoke, and other performance events.

Others came simply because they wanted to sing.

The photographs throughout this site preserve part of that history: the students, performances, competitions, and accomplishments that became part of Voicemaster over the years.

Explore Students & Accomplishments →

HOW THE WORK EVOLVED

From Singing Lessons
to Vocal Development

As more students began performing and competing, Junior began working with voices under very different demands.

Students needed greater control, range, stamina, strength, and consistency, especially when performing under pressure.

Years of working with different voices led Junior to develop his own approach to vocal development.

His work became less about teaching someone to sound a certain way and more about understanding how that person was using their voice, where they were using more effort than necessary, and what could be developed or strengthened.

“Singing remained an important part of Voicemaster. But over time, the work had grown beyond traditional singing lessons.”

FROM HAWAIʻI
TO THE WORLD

A NEW CHAPTER

From Kalihi to
Students Beyond
Hawaiʻi

While Voicemaster was still based in Kalihi, Junior had already begun teaching some students online.

That gave people outside Hawaiʻi the opportunity to work with him without having to come to the studio.

Then, in 2020, pandemic-related lockdowns brought in-person lessons to a stop, and Voicemaster moved completely online.

Junior eventually left the Kalihi location and continued teaching remotely.

That opened Voicemaster to students across the United States and in other countries.

What had begun with Junior traveling to students’ homes in Hawaiʻi could now reach people far beyond the islands.

Voicemaster students Francesca and Marinel

Voicemaster students Sinalynn and Jennifer

Voicemaster students Tia, Shiela, and Sandra

VOICEMASTER TODAY

The Story
Continues

What began as Voicemaster Singing School in 1989 continues today as Voicemaster Vocal Development.

The name changed as the work evolved.

Junior now works with singers, speakers, professionals, performers, creators, children, teens, and adults who want to develop a stronger and more efficient voice.

The way Voicemaster reaches people has changed over the years, and Junior’s approach to the voice has continued to develop through the people he works with.

But the foundation remains the same:

Working directly with the person
and the voice in front of him.

The History ofVoicemaster

It Started WithSinging Lessons

Two Decades ofVoicemasterSinging School

Voices ofVoicemaster

From Singing Lessonsto Vocal Development

From Kalihi toStudents BeyondHawaiʻi