Just before walking down the red carpet at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and accepting his third Grammy Award, Maui-based singer-songwriter Kalani Pe’a said he’s “so grateful” to represent the islands through his album “Kau Ka Pe’a.”

While wearing a coat that honored the last reigning Hawaiian king, David Kalakaua, Pe’a on Sunday won the award for Best Regional Roots Music Album at the 64th annual Grammy Awards show.

“I’m so grateful to carry the torch of my kupuna and my makua, my mom and dad, and grandparents, my ancestors, and forefathers who continue to advocate for the perpetuation of Hawaiian language, culture, genealogy, storytelling and everything that defines and describes who we are as people of Hawaii,” he said via phone from Las Vegas. “I get to share it through music and I get to do it on a global platform — that matters to me.”

Pe’a, the only Hawaiian artist to have topped the category since it was created in 2012, had previously won Best Regional Roots Album in 2017 with his debut album “E Walea” and with his second album “No ‘Ane’i” in 2019.

After being in separate categories for several years, Hawaiian, zydeco, Cajun and Native American musical nominations were combined for the 2012 Grammys. Cajun and zydeco artists had won every year until Pe’a’s victory in 2017.

“The accolades do not define who I am,” Pe’a told the Recording Academy backstage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in an interview posted on Instagram. “I’m still that big Hawaiian boy from the farm and I dedicate this to all that have shaped my identity.”

Coming from a line of fishermen and Kalapana musicians, the Hilo-born artist told The Maui News that he lives the legacies of his kupuna, which inspired the theme of this year’s Grammy award-winning album “Kau Ka Pe’a.”

The album, which was produced during the COVID-19 pandemic, describes “us setting our own sail and starting our own voyage,” Pe’a said.

“I wrote songs about places and people I love during the pandemic,” he added. “When you lose your tours and shows in 2020, what do you do as a writer and creator? You continue singing and writing music, and record them, document them.

“The pandemic taught me how to change effectively and be effective through change, so this album talks about setting our own journey through this pandemic and how this pandemic will never stop us from creating music for the world to heal.”

Through songwriting and composing, Pe’a advocates for Hawaiian language and culture, which he has also done over the years as an educator, fluent Hawaiian language speaker and publisher of five Hawaiian language children stories.

Before pursuing music full time, he was a teacher at Kamehameha Preschools in Kona on Hawaii island for four years. He later moved to Maui where he spent time as a Hawaiian resource coordinator at Kamehameha Schools Maui, according to the Kalani Pe’a Music website.

He has since performed all over Hawaii, including Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai, as well as in California, Colorado and Japan.

For Pe’a, who has a home in Wailuku, it’s always been “Maui no ka oi.”

Wailuku is where his great-grandparents resided before moving the family to Hawaii island, where Pe’a grew up, but “I always love and acknowledge the fact that my ancestors do come from Keanae, Hana, Maui, so I honor them.”

And he continued to honor them on Sunday when he performed in the opening Grammy Premiere Ceremony for the first time in the Grand Conference Marquee Ballroom.

“Being able to perform and share Hawaiian language . . . we made history sharing Hawaiian language through Hawaiian music at the Grammys,” Pe’a said.

Allan B. Cool, who is Pe’a’s manager and handles public relations for him, added that representing Hawaii on a global platform is “such an honor.”

“We’re just so happy to share Hawaiian music and represent the people of our islands, our culture and the stories that we are sharing with the world,” Cool said Sunday. “It’s amazing to be here. It’s always an honor. The people of Hawaii have a story to tell — we are the messengers, we are just the link to the stories of our kupuna, our ancestors, Hawaiian culture and history.”

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.