Maui’s own Kaulike Pescaia will perform Friday evening during the second “E Kupa‘a Kakou” virtual concert at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. The event celebrates some of Maui’s nominees for the 2020 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards. Photo courtesy Kaulike Pescaia

Honored with four nominations for the 2020 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, Kaulike Pescaia will take the stage on Friday evening at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in the second of the “E Kupa’a Kakou” virtual concerts that celebrate some of Maui’s nominees.

Pescaia will perform songs from his impressive debut album “Ku’u Huaka’i,” which was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, Hawaiian Music Album of the Year, Hawaiian Language Performance and Most Promising Artist.

The show also features Josh Tatofi, as well as Halau Na Lei Kaumaka O Uka and Kumu Hula Napua Greig.

Tatofi’s latest album, “Ua Kui A Lawa,” received the most nominations this year, including Album of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year (“For The Lahui”) and Island Music Album.

Pescaia was excited about the opportunity to perform at the Hoku event.

“I grew up watching the Hokus and I’ve always wanted to be on that stage playing music,” he explained. “To be nominated for some awards was kind of like confirmation that I’m doing OK, that people appreciate the music I put out.”

This year all the nominees for Hawaiian Music Album of the Year are from Maui and four out of the five Male Vocalist of the Year nominees are Maui musicians.

“I wasn’t expecting that one,” Pescaia said about the Male Vocalist nomination. “There’s a lot of great music this year with Josh Tatofi. To be up there for that award is an honor. It’s crazy.”

Blessed with a beautiful voice, Pescaia’s fluency in Hawaiian, gift for composing and love for traditional music is all highlighted on “Ku’u Huaka’i.” A member of the generation of younger musicians committed to preserving the language and music, this 21-year-old, Kamehameha Schools Maui graduate describes himself as a traditionalist.

“Most of my life I’ve been a traditionalist,” he explained, citing Kuana Torres Kahale and the Brothers Cazimero as influences. “I fell in love with traditional-sounding Hawaiian music. For this album I really wanted it to be something that every Hawaiian could say, ‘this is authentic.’ I wanted the album also to be something for dancers. Hula and music go together.”

A labor of love, he began working on his album of primarily original songs almost 10 years ago, initially tutored by the late Uncle Sheldon Brown of the Wai’ehu Sons, “who took me under his wing.”

The title was inspired by a drive he used to take from Kihei to Kapalua in his younger days.

“We used to take my dad to work in Kapalua,” he recalled. “Doing that drive so many times I wanted to write a song and name it my journey, so, ‘Ku’u Huaka’i.’ With the album all these songs showed my progress as a musician and songwriter and my understanding of Hawaiian language, so it was a journey.”

When Pescaia was 2 years old, his parents were amazed to hear him singing along to Hawaiian music while they were driving.

“I was in my car seat and Na Palapali had just released their first album,” he said. “My parents were playing it in the car and I was humming along. My dad really encouraged me. He bought me a ukulele and taught me some Hawaiian music.”

As Pescaia’s talent blossomed, he began to realize that he could pursue a musical career.

“I had a passion for music and later on it hit me that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” he said. “I would jam on the ukulele and sing in school. Friends would ask me how to play something on ukulele, or for singing advice.”

Studying music theory at Kamehameha Schools in 2014, he won Male Vocalist and the Overall Grand Prize at the Brown Bags to Stardom Statewide Finals.

“That was my freshman year,” he recalled. “It was fun to go to Oahu and compete.”

And then in 2018, he earned the championship title and the Hawaiian Language award at the Richard Ho’opi’i Leo Ki’eki’e Falsetto Contest.

Last year he participated in the Hoku-nominated “Kuha’o Maunakea” album project in support of the Ku Kia’i Mauna movement. Contributing the majestic track “Mauna Kea Ku Kilakila,” he affirmed, “We shall protect you, For you are our foundation.”

“All my mana went into that song,” he revealed.

Just recently he was one of the artists featured on the new West Maui compilation, “Lei Nahonoapi’ilani: Na Mele Hou,” with a track celebrating the ahupua’a of Honolua.

Before the pandemic, Pescaia had enjoyed performing at a regular engagement at the Seascape Restaurant in Maalaea. Now with live music gigs dried up, he’s spent time developing a social media presence and has been working on new music.

“I’m doing OK,” he reported. “I still live at home so I get to stay home and make music all day. My next album is already in the works.”

The “E Kupa’a Kakou” virtual concert series is sponsored by the County of Maui’s Office of Economic Development and filmed in the MACC’s McCoy Studio Theater. The series continues on Friday with Kaniala Masoe, Ahumanu and Halau Kamaluokaleihulu with Kumu Hula Kahulu Maluo-Pearson; and on Sept. 25 with Leomana, Na Wai ‘Eha and Halau Kekuaokala’au’ala’iliahi with Kumu Hula ‘Iliahi and Haunani Paredes.

The 43rd annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards will be broadcast on KHNL at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10. Filmed on Oahu and Maui without an audience, it will be also streamed on Facebook.