Kaju Roberto is an award-winning producer of the podcast, Talking Taiwan^[1], which won the Golden Crane Award^[2] in the category of Best Sports/Hobby Podcast on December 21, 2021. He has been the co-producer of the podcast since January 2020 along with his partner Felicia Lin, who is the original and current podcast host and co-producer. Roberto also acts as the sound engineer, editor, graphics designer, and webmaster of the podcast.

The Talking Taiwan podcast^[3] is conducted in the style of a weekly interview where host Felicia Lin will interview a guest or several guests who are involved in something Taiwan-related. It is targeted to anyone who wants to become educated about Taiwan's diaspora and the stories connected to its global community, Currently it is the longest running active Taiwan-related podcast, having first aired on June 5, 2013 ^[4], and according to Listen Notes a top search engine that tracks the data for all podcasts, Talking Taiwan is ranked in the top 5% of the most popular shows in the world out of 2.825,970 podcasts globally^[5].

Known within his inner circles simply as "Kaju", Roberto is also a musician, entertainer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and filmmaker. He is the founder of the band Rad Jet which will be releasing its debut album "96 Guns" in Summer 2022. The new album is an amalgamation of classic hard rock, 90’s pop, infused with folk and country music. Roberto grew up listening to and adoring bands like Squeeze, the Police, Led Zeppelin, Prince, Guns ‘n Roses, Matchbox 20, Santana, Joe Jackson, and the Dave Matthews Band, and these retro influences are clearly evident in his songwriting, playing, and arrangements.

In May 2022 Kaju Roberto decided rather than releasing a full album in summer 2022, to release each of his 9 singles from his debut album as single releases each month through the end of the first quart of 2023. Only after releasing all 9 original songs as single releases, will Roberto release his debut album scheduled for April 2023.

Rad Jet's debut single release "96 Guns" is scheduled to be released on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and many of the major streaming platforms on July 8, 2022. As of this date, the song is already available for sale in 150+ online stores worldwide. On July 7, 2022 Roberto changed his YouTube channel name from Karaoke Pub Crawl to Rad Jet Music in anticipation of the band's Official Music Video also being released on July 8, 2022.

Kaju played all 18 instruments on Rad Jet’s debut album, as well as being the producer, arranger, and lead vocalist. This album is comprised of nine of his unfinished and unrecorded works spanning over 30 years.

On September 3, 2021, his short film “Chaos in NYC”^[6][7] (alternate title on You Tube "Chaos and the Coronavirus Ep 6")^[8] became an official selection of the 2021 Hollywood First Time Filmmakers Showcase^[9]. It was filmed in the neighborhood of Chelsea and it captured the frenzy that occurred during the curfew lock down of the early Covid-19 pandemic in New York City on June 1, 2020. That night for the first time in many decades, a strict in-house curfew by 11:00 pm was imposed on city residents by former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. Beginning the following night and in subsequent days, this curfew would be reduced to 8:00 pm until it was lifted one week later.

The short film aired for two weeks during the 2021 Hollywood First Time Filmmakers Showcase on Vimeo on Demand, where film enthusiasts could sign up and view the film for $15 and vote for their favorite films of the festival from September 13-27, 2021. It ended up 6th (out of 88) in the voting.^[10]

Roberto created many videos in 2020 on his You Tube channel Karaoke Pub Crawl^[11], which originally began as a channel showcasing various karaoke bars around the world, and later changed its focus of attention to the Covid-19 pandemic as it affected New York City. However, as of 2022, he is currently inactive on this channel.

Appearances on Television, Major Live Events, and Radio

Kaju's appearances on television include competing as an East Coast Regional finalist singing and performing on the ABC-TV reality game show “Karaoke Battle USA”^[12] which aired on September 2, 2011^[13], hosted by former N’Sync star Joey Fatone, with guest star judge Carnie Wilson, an interview on the Emmy-award winning News Program "ABC Nightline" that aired on August 11, 2011^[14] during the segment "Singing for Free Drinks" by news correspondent John Berman, and a special guitar performance in a red jacket as character "Rob the Guitar Player" with Sal the Stockbroker titled "The Lighting of the Teeth"^[15] on the WCBS prime time television and E-Network “Howard Stern Radio Show.” which first aired on January 13, 2001^[16].

As the guitarist for the 50 member Don’t Give Up Gospel Choir of Japan , Kaju participated in an electrifying performance in front of a stadium crowd of 20,000 joyous gospel fans for Gospel Fest 2011 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on June 18, 2011^[17] , sharing the stage with gospel legends Donny McClurkin, and Kirk Franklin.

He was also interviewed on AM radio twice by New York State Final karaoke judge and host Lou Telano on the program “Streetwise” on WGBB 1240 AM. The first interview aired on May 31, 2011^[18] where they discussed what was it like for him to compete in the New York State Karaoke Final competition on May 21, 2011; and a second interview which aired on June 12, 2011^[19] where the host asked Kaju about his feelings for his upcoming performances at Gospel Fest 2011 with the Don't Give Up Gospel Choir, and on the ABC-TV show "Karaoke Battle USA".

Kaju has performed as a musician all over the world at various well-known venues in North America, Asia, Australia, and Central America. He is also the founding member of Off The Hook^[20], a well-known dance party band in the New York Tri-State Area from 2003 to 2018, where he performed regularly at clubs and private events as the band leader and lead musician for 15 years.

The band also was known for organizing charity events where they would perform to raise money for major philanthropic causes related to diseases and natural disasters.

On November 11, 2005 after Off the Hook performed "A Concert Benefiting Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita" at Canal Room in NYC, the band was cited by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg where he stated, "We take the opportunity to commend the event's organizer's Off the Hook. This amazing band has provided an outlet for New York City's abundant generosity....Everyone involved in this event, including the organizers and audience members, embody New York City's highest ideals."

"About The Team", Talking Taiwan, https://talkingtaiwan.com/about-the-team/#t-1619598511682

Listen Notes, Golden Crane Award Winners 2021, https://www.listennotes.com/playlists/golden-crane-awards-winners-2021-y3OvjnQTBN0/episodes/

Talking Taiwan podcast "Highlights and Tour" Page, https://talkingtaiwan.com/talking-taiwan-highlights-and-tour/

"About The Team", Talking Taiwan the longest active running podcast about Taiwan, https://talkingtaiwan.com/about-the-team/#t-1619598511682

Listen Notes global ranking of the Talking Taiwan podcast, https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/talking-taiwan-felicia-lin-WSPqA26QpDH/

"Chaos in NYC" IMDB, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19722854/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

"Chaos in NYC" on Vimeo, https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/700178451

"Chaos in NYC" (alternate title on You Tube "Chaos and the Coronavirus Ep 6", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Xab6IJ6qc

Chaos in NYC" in 2021 Hollywood First Time Filmmakers Showcase, https://liftoffnetwork.typeform.com/report/AmDWOu71/gOQYYUmikOPNM6cz

"Chaos in NYC", 2021 Hollywoord First Time Filmmakers Showcase, 6th in the Voting , https://liftoffnetwork.typeform.com/report/AmDWOu71/gOQYYUmikOPNM6cz

Karaoke Pub Crawl (You Tube Channel), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLns4qEXagQ1ASvH8Aax3cg

"Karaoke Battle USA" IMDB, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2027130/

Kaju Tsunami Swallows ABC "Karaoke Battle U.S.A" Ep 4 9.2.11, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKLGH7Y92CE

Award-Winning ABC NIGHTLINE Interview Kaju "Singing for Free Drinks", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlgF01Ml0hs

Kaju on Howard Stern Radio Show "The Lighting of the Teeth", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS01qquTZfE&t=5s

"The Howard Stern Radio Show" Episode Dated 13 January, 2001 IMDB, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0606282/

Kaju GOSPELFEST June 18, 2011 Don't Give Up Gospel Choir, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP5N6pWSACc

Kaju "Streetwise" Short Interview Version 5.31.11, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdpgDp5qHDY&t=4s

Kaju on Karaoke Battle USA "Streetwise" 2nd, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soz_FjhS1kE&t=7s

Off the Hook (You Tube Channel), https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdgf7qYT65iWgd4yIEnNLbA