Stories
On Kalapana: How Ro (8RO8) unknowingly became a Kalapana fan in elementary school
Hawaii-born rapper and music creator Ro, known as 8RO8, tells us about how Kalapana showed him that quality music can come outta Hawaii, and how it connected him even more to life (and love). What is your all-time favorite Kalapana track? Why do you love it? 1. The Hurt, it’s so baller cause i feels it’s about love that turned one sided with time and it literally feels like it could written by the Bee Gees. 1000/10 How has Kalapana and their music influenced you as an artist?2. Kalapana was just in the rotation when I was younger. Showed me that...
On Kalapana: Kimié Miner on how music transcends time and place
We sat down with singer and songwriter Kimié Miner —one of local music’s greatest advocates — to talk about Kalapana’s influence on her own music. Kimié is an Grammy Award nominated producer and helms the Haku Collective, a full-service multimedia agency supporting local artists in the global music industry. She’s worked with Kalapana members D.J. Pratt and Gaylord Holomalia, and has close ties to the Bilyeu ohana. 1. What is your all-time favorite Kalapana track? Why do you love it? For You I’d Chase A Rainbow because the lyrics are so good. I love their songwriting. 2. How has Kalapana...
On Kalapana: Jake Shimabukuro on jamming with Kalapana
There's a video on YouTube that we return to over and over – Kalapana jamming with ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro to the ultimate jam, "Black Sand". The amount of joy and energy pouring from each musician is electrifying. Seeing Jake and guitarist D.J. Pratt together is a sight in itself! Writer Jason Black asked Jake three questions about Kalapana's influence on him as a musician. Here's his answers. What is your all-time favorite Kalapana track? Why do you love it? This is a tough one because I have so many! But if I had to choose, I would say my...
Kalapana’s 1975 debut album returns to vinyl on March 25th
We're celebrating the music of Hawaii’s favorite contemporary music group, Kalapana, with an official vinyl reissue of the band’s self-titled debut album, Kalapana. The vinyl reissue will be available on Friday, March 25th. In 1975, four young musicians forever changed Hawaii with their unique sound. Together as Kalapana, singers Mackey Feary and Malani Bilyeu, guitarist David John Pratt, and keyboardist Kirk Thompson fused rock, pop, R&B, jazz, and soul to create their classic long-playing album, Kalapana. The music was a cross between electric and acoustic, and it provided the perfect soundtrack to a modern 1970s Hawaii. Over the years, the band...
On Kalapana: Kainani Kahaunaele celebrates the mele and legacy of Kalapana
Music transports us to the past and roots us in the present. The music of Kalapana does just that — and so does the mele of Kainani Kahaunaele, whose craft is rooted not just in the past, but pushes the present forward into the future with progressive sounds that meld Hawaiian music with contemporary sounds of the 20th and 21st centuries. Photo from BigIslandMusic.net. Born and raised in Anahola, Kauaʻi Kainani has lived in Hilo, Hawaiʻi for 27+ years as an advocate for Hawaiian language revitalization and the perpetuation of Hawaiian music through education and performance. While earning her B.A in...