Born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii, Johann Hedemann is a surfer-songwriter with natural island charm. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, Johann’s music is filled with catchy hooks, guitar-driven riffs and conversational vocals.

Growing up between the North Shore and South Shore of Oahu, surfing was always at the heart of his family. His dad was a pro surfer in the 1980s, climbed to No. 3 in the world and later founded a leading surf school at the Kaimana Beach Surf Shop near Waikiki. Like his dad, Johann is a local boy and waterman. His love for music was sparked by one of his dad’s surf shop employees who played in a Doors cover band after work. He came by weekly to teach the basics, and soon Johann was combining his first chords with the poetry he wrote in high school, leading to his earliest songs. One evening Johann stumbled upon a John Mayer acoustic AOL session on TV, and from then on he knew songwriting was something he wanted to pursue as a career.

During his teenage years, failed romantic pursuits fueled his songwriting as he began performing live, playing nearly every night at open mics around the island. He later attended a summer program at Berklee before enrolling in the full program in 2013 with a focus on songwriting. After completing numerous courses, he returned to Hawaii, balancing his time between music, surfing and travel.

Johann’s debut album flora brings together his floral-themed trilogy of EPs (aloha, mahalo and kahala), featuring songs that invite listeners into his world of beach pop, heartbreak and surf vibes.