Joshua Radin says he has played on seven continents, including performing for “penguins and whales in Antarctica.” Radin will perform Nov. 29 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. Courtesy photo

Joshua Radin was waiting tables in New York while pursuing a career as a screenwriter when “Winter,” the first song he ever composed, was featured on an episode of the hit TV show “Scrubs.”

NBC’s website crashed after the broadcast with fans looking for the song. That’s when Radin realized he should pursue music.

“I had just picked up the guitar and taught myself a few chords about six months before that,” said Radin. “I never thought I would ever do anything on stage. But when I saw the response, I thought, ‘Well, maybe this is what I should be doing.’ I just couldn’t really pass up the opportunity.”

From “Scrubs,” his music was subsequently featured on “Grays Anatomy.”

Performing at a singer-songwriter venue in Los Angeles, “music supervisors would be hanging out there,” he said. “I’d play a new song, and they would always end up putting it on some series. So ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ used five of my songs, and ‘Scrubs’ used 6 of my songs. It seemed like every new song I wrote ended up in different series or movies.”

With 577 million Spotify streams, Radin’s music has been featured in over 200 films, TV series and commercials. His national TV performances include “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” “Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!” and “Ellen.”

His style of introspective, acoustic, folk music has won him worldwide acclaim and a string of high-profile fans, including Ellen DeGeneres and Michelle Obama, who, with Jill Biden, selected his song, “Brand New Day,” as the soundtrack for a commercial supporting U.S. troops.

“When I first wrote ‘Winter,’ I never thought anyone would hear it,” he said. “It was like a letter I wrote to someone. I was going through a breakup, and I had to make myself incredibly vulnerable. Seeing the response, I realized that’s what I should be doing creatively and artistically, making myself as vulnerable as I possibly can. That’s what people relate to because we all go through similar things.”

Joshua Radin’s music has been featured in over 200 films, TV series and commercials. Courtesy photo

Described by AllMusic as “A yearning singer/songwriter with a gentle sound steeped in the acoustic folk tradition,” who “makes dusky anthems in the vein of Elliott Smith and Paul Simon,” after releasing his acclaimed album “The Ghost and The Wall,” recorded during the pandemic, he sold his house, gave away his possessions and took off around the world.

“It’s been four years now,” he said. “People use the term digital nomad, but I don’t even carry a laptop or iPad with me. I was really sick of living in L.A. even before the pandemic struck. I decided to just make my life more about experiences rather than things and just practice minimalism. I’ve had such an incredible experience traveling. I’ve been on all seven continents and played for penguins and whales in Antarctica. I’m just so grateful for these last four years.”

Returning to Maui for a show in the MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater, he will be joined by Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist Gabe Burdulis.

“I’ve played that room quite a few times and it’s always just absolutely lovely,” he said. “I’m bringing a couple of friends to open the show. My friend Stephanie Tarling, who goes by the name Darling Tarling, she’s going to open up the show, as well as my friend Sophia Rose. They’re both up-and-coming singer-songwriters. We’re going to make a little vacation out of it after this long two-month tour that I’ve been on. I could use some sunshine.”

Radin will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 at the MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater. Tickets are $35-$75 at www.MauiArts.org/.