Mike Love

Biography

Mike Love is an American reggae musician born and raised in Oahu, Hawaii, to a musical family that spans generations, with both his father and grandfather serving as composers. He began his musical journey playing steel pan and piano before gravitating toward guitar at age 15. Initially performing in various local bands including Melodious Solutions and the 10-piece ensemble Dubkonscious, Love's early musical influences were diverse, ranging from Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff to progressive rock and soul. His artistic direction underwent a profound spiritual transformation in his early twenties when he immersed himself in deeper roots reggae and Rastafari philosophy, discovering artists like The Abyssinians, The Congos, Gregory Isaacs, Steel Pulse, and Israel Vibration. This shift coincided with major lifestyle changes including adopting a vegetarian diet, practicing meditation and fasting, and fundamentally reorienting his songwriting toward what he describes as 'divinely channeled' music focused on healing, spirituality, and social consciousness.

Love's solo career crystallized in 2008 when he began a weekly Monday residency at a local Irish pub in Hawaii, where he developed his signature one-man-band performance style using complex looping techniques, multiple instruments, and diverse vocal techniques to create a full, powerful sound despite performing alone. This innovative approach caught international attention following the December 2012 release of his debut solo album, The Change I'm Seeking, which featured the viral hit 'Permanent Holiday'—a track that accumulated over 36 million views on YouTube and significantly expanded his global fanbase. Subsequent albums including Jah Will Never Leave I Alone (2014, which reached #3 on Billboard's Reggae chart), Love Will Find A Way (2015), and the Love Overflowing EP (2016) solidified his position as a rising star in reggae music. Love self-describes his artistic approach as 'revolutionary consciousness music,' blending roots reggae and Rastafari spirituality with progressive rock, soul, blues, flamenco, jazz, and classical influences, all unified by a commitment to healing, social justice, animal rights, and environmental advocacy.

Throughout his career, Love has performed over 250 shows annually across diverse international stages, from major festivals including Byron Bay Blues and Roots, Reggae Sunska, One Love Festival, California Roots, Boomtown Fair, Sziget, and Electric Forest, to intimate venues across North America, Central and South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and East Asia. He releases his music independently through his own Love Not War Records label, maintaining artistic autonomy while building an ever-growing following. His collaborative performances have included shared stages with prominent artists such as Jack Johnson, Michael Franti, Xavier Rudd, John Butler, Dave Matthews, Trevor Hall, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Steel Pulse, Rebelution, Groundation, and Dub Inc., establishing him as a respected figure within the contemporary reggae and world music communities.

Fun Facts

• Mike Love's viral hit 'Permanent Holiday' from his 2012 debut album has accumulated over 36 million views on YouTube, significantly expanding his international fanbase and establishing him as a global reggae artist.
• Love developed his signature one-man-band performance style during a four-year weekly Monday residency at a local Irish pub in Hawaii starting in 2008, where he performed extended four-hour sets using complex looping techniques and multiple instruments.
• Despite being a solo performer on stage, Love has performed over 250 shows annually across six continents, touring to places he never expected to visit, demonstrating the unique reach and accessibility of his independent one-man-band format.
• Love's spiritual transformation in his early twenties was so profound that it fundamentally altered his lifestyle, diet (becoming vegetarian), spiritual practices (meditation and fasting), and artistic output, shifting his songwriting from personal expression to what he describes as 'divinely channeled' music.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Bob Marley - Father introduced Mike Love to Bob Marley's music; foundational reggae influence (Bob Marley catalog) [Childhood/early teens]
• Jimmy Cliff - Early reggae influence introduced by father (Jimmy Cliff catalog) [Childhood/early teens]
• Gregory Isaacs - Introduced by friends in high school; deeper reggae influence (Gregory Isaacs catalog) [High school years]
• The Abyssinians - Spiritual reggae and Rastafari influence during early twenties spiritual transformation (The Abyssinians catalog) [Early twenties]
• The Congos - Deep spiritual reggae influence focused on Rastafari and revolution (The Congos catalog) [Early twenties]

Key Collaborators

• Tavana - Co-founder of early band Melodious Solutions (Melodious Solutions) [Early career]
• Brad Watanabe - Co-founder of Melodious Solutions; later member of The Green (Melodious Solutions) [Early career]
• Sam Gonsalves - Co-founder of Melodious Solutions (Melodious Solutions) [Early career]
• Dubkonscious - 10-piece band where Love served as frontman, composer, lyricist, arranger, and producer (At the Foot of the Mountain album) [Pre-2008]
• The Full Circle - Mike Love's touring and recording band (Various albums and tours) [2012-present]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Permanent Holiday (The Change I'm Seeking)
2. These Are My Roots
3. Life by the Drop
4. Barbershop (The Change I'm Seeking)
5. I Love You (Love Will Find a Way)
6. Movin' on (The Change I'm Seeking)
7. Heavy Load (7)
8. Jah Is Real
9. Good News (Love Will Find a Way)
10. Human Race (The Change I'm Seeking)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #reggae