James Hill Shares His Musical Journey

Canadian musician James Hill loves playing the ukelele. 

James Hill is a master ukulelist and teacher from Canada. He is known for his innovative ukulele playing in several musical styles, including electronic, folk, hip-hop, jazz, and rock. 

“I like to feel that I’m a small part of shaping the voice of the ukulele,” Hill told me in a recent interview via Zoom. “That’s very exciting for me.” A ukelele is a stringed instrument that is similar in shape to a guitar. but smaller.

Hill has amassed a large following on YouTube, where his videos have millions of views. I first discovered his music when I saw a video of him performing “Billie Jean,” a song by Michael Jackson.

“LOVE THE SOUND YOU’RE CHASING”

Hill started to play the ukulele in his fourth-grade music program in his hometown of Langley, a city in British Columbia. Although he was already learning to play the violin and piano, he found playing the ukulele freeing. “The ukulele was really appealing to me because it was very creative,” he told me.

When he was a teenager, Hill played in the Langley Ukulele Ensemble, a group of talented young ukulele players. He later studied music at the University of British Columbia. His professional career took off after his mother sent his music to a popular Canadian radio station.

“They loved the album and played it quite a bit,” Hill recalled. “That was really the beginning for me, and I didn’t look back.”

Hill, whose parents were both teachers, is passionate about sharing his love for the ukulele. He has created a website called Uketropolis, which lets him give ukulele lessons and teach online courses. “I’ve been very lucky to have an extraordinary number of excellent teachers in my life,” he said. “I learned to teach by imitating them.”

Hill's advice for playing the ukulele well is to “love the sound you’re chasing.” He suggests finding songs that inspire you to play. “I’m always looking for that thing that sets me on fire,” he said. “Because that’s what it takes to really learn something.”