Maui’s Kalani Pe‘a wins fourth Grammy Award

Maui resident Kalani Peʻa secured his fourth Grammy Award on Sunday after winning in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category. Courtesy photo
Maui resident Kalani Peʻa was thrilled to win his fourth Grammy Award on Sunday in Los Angeles for his latest recording, “Kuini.”
“I’m so blessed to represent Hawaii,” Peʻa enthused. “I’m so honored and blessed to represent my kupuna. I’m very honored.”
Winning in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category, he competed against New Orleans and Native American musicians, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles, Sean Ardoin and Kreole Rock and Soul, the New Breed Brass Band, and The Rumble. He was the only artist from Hawaii among the five nominees in the category.
In accepting the award, Peʻa relayed how in his yearbook he wrote that one day, he’ll win a Grammy. His previous albums “E Walea,” “No ‘Ane’i” and “Kau Ka Pe’a,” all won Grammy Awards.
The 2025 award was shared by other Maui residents who either co-produced or co-engineered the album, Peʻa’s partner, Allan B. Cool-Pe’a, Michael Casil, Wailau Ryder and Ron “Ruff” Boyce.
“(There were) lots of tears of joy and at first anxiety,” he said about attending the award ceremony. “You just don’t know. Award shows get you into a mood where you really need to prepare yourself mentally and spiritually. You’re nominated with the best of the best and you just do your best and give your all, and my goal is to share mele Hawaii to the world because we’re still a little dot in the Pacific Ocean, but to be able to be known internationally. I’m so grateful.”
Peʻa said he felt like folks could relate to his album because of the mutual experience of devastating fires. “I wrote a song for Lahaina. The people could relate. My friends and fans and Grammy members of Los Angeles could relate because they are dealing with the aftermath of their wildfires.”
He was joined on stage by his mother, Pua Pe’a, his partner, and Casil.
“My beautiful mother was in a custom orange dress to honor the sunset and the sunrise of Lahaina since I did the album to honor Lahaina,” he said. “Michael Casil won his first Grammy Award, a Maui boy as an engineer and co-producer. He’s engineered a few albums in the past for Ekolu and Maoli and won many Hokus, but never been recognized at the Grammys until now.”

Michael Casil (from left), Pua Pe’a, Kalani Peʻa and Allan B. Cool-Pe’a pose for a photo with Kalani Pe’a fourth Grammy Award. Courtesy photo
Recorded in Kula at I-Vibe Studios, “Kuini” (translated as “Queen”) paid tribute to some influential Hawaiian women, as well as honoring Lahaina.
“After working with my three albums with the same producer, I wanted to try something different and work with Maui people instead of flying to Oahu all the time, and embrace the Maui talent,” Pe’a said.
Asked why he thought his latest recording most resonated with Grammy voters, he responded: “I think what it is, is just beyond the arrangements and my vocal capability and my musicality and working with phenomenal talent, the message through each song and the fluidity of one song going to another song painted a picture for the listeners. I was able to exemplify and illustrate the women who have shaped who I am today.
“From Kīʻope Raymond’s mother, shaping him as a Hawaiian. And going down to Kihawahine, the protector of Moku’ula and Lahaina, and honoring the people of Lahaina, and also acknowledging Queen Emma and how she established the Queen’s Hospital. Queenie means queen and also it’s a poetry metaphor to all of us owning our own crown and becoming that queen, and there’s a hidden message behind that as well by letting the world know that equality and equity is important. As a proud member of the LGBTQ community, I will always support my fellow brothers and sisters and stand firm for our rights.”
At a time when equality rights are under threat, he said, “Hawaii has embraced my people and myself, my community for thousands of years. We’ve been roaming the Earth before the arrival of the Bible in Hawaii. We’ve been healers and mentors and educators for our ali’i. So I don’t know why people have issues with us loving the people we want to love. I’m so grateful that I have my husband next to my side who is a four-time Grammy Award-winning co-producer and my manager, and my mom who is also my queenie, who instilled that passion to sing and also instilled compassion to be a compassionate human being. To learn about empathy, to give back to the community that has shaped who I am.”
After his time in Los Angeles, which included a celebratory trip to Disneyland, Peʻa will return to California in late February for three shows, and he will present a “May Day is Lei Day” concert on May 3 at Oahu’s Hawaii Theatre.