Israel Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ ole is better known as Bruddah Iz or rather just IZ. The Hawaiian singer-lyricist and legendary musician was always a renowned Hawaiian sovereignty activist, but his medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” & “What a Wonderful World” made him known and loved by the world.
Embodying peace, love and the true spirit of Hawaiian folk in every word, Israel Ka’ano’i Kamakawiwo’ ole created a sound that will live on forever when he performed his medley of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” & “What a Wonderful World.” There will never be another, quite like “The Voice of Hawaii.”
Even though his beloved medley was first performed in 1993, it was only in 1999 that he became noticed by international audiences thanks to his performance being used by eToys.com, which became a part of Toys “R” Us. Ever since it went on to feature across popular culture in numerous movies & television series.
“Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” from IZ reached twelfth on the Billboard charts and is the longest-leading number one hit with 185 weeks spent atop the World Digital Songs chart.
