Kumsa Maphalala is a twenty-year-old singer/songwriter from the Big Island of Hawaii. She was raised around music and began her musical career in a local marimba band called Kunzwanana at the age of 10. She fell in love with the guitar at fifteen and went on to spend two years studying music at Portland's School of Rock where, as a member of the House Band, she had the opportunity to play in some of the best local venues in Portland, Chicago , Milwaukee (Summer Fest) and more. Kumsa has a deep soulful voice that many people have associated with singers such as Tracy Chapman, Norah Jones, and Grace Slick. Her lyrics are original and drawn from personal experiences of growth and vulnerability. Now living in Costa Rica, Kumsa is a student at EARTH University, a four-year college focused on Sustainable Agriculture and Engineering. Kumsa is very driven by the dream of creating a world that can support generations to come through regenerative communities and thoughtful, sustainable development. This dream is also evident in the songs Kumsa writes, as she feels music is one of the most powerful ways to spread ideas and dreams such as this with people around the world. Kumsa wishes to keep writing and recording music that expresses her passion for creating a healthy and prosperous future for all.