Two-time Grammy-nominated artist Raitea Helm recorded new arrangements of favorites such as “White Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Christmas Song” for her new album, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Courtesy photo

Molokai’s multi-Nā Hōkū Hanohano winning musician Raitea Helm has triumphed once again, releasing a marvelous new album, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

Following her groundbreaking “A Legacy Of Hawaiian Song & String,” Helm offers a fresh take on classic holiday favorites, transporting us back to a golden age of jazz ballads, highlighting her beautiful, angelic vocals.

Accompanied by an ensemble of illustrious backing musicians, the two-time Grammy-nominated artist recorded new arrangements of favorites like “White Christmas,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Christmas Song.”

Helm had envisioned making a Christmas album rooted in jazz, with an elegant, timeless sound, weaving together the warm embrace of Hawaii with the sophistication of classic jazz. “I wanted something classic, and jazz is classic,” Helm explained. “It’s a familiar sound, especially for Christmas music. It should have a jazz core, and I wanted the songs to be different because you can’t touch the classics by (Bing) Crosby and Nat King Cole. So I wanted to make it fresh and my own. I’m really proud of it and happy, and I felt like my voice at this time and age, it’s in a different stage, and I’m very pleased.”

Encouraged by her father, she had been thinking about recording a Christmas collection for a few years. “He’s always on me to get this album done,” she said. “So spurred from that conversation to be more serious and do something about it, I texted (Grammy-winning producer) Dave Tucciarone, and said, is it possible to do a Christmas album? With his expertise and skills, and what also made it easier was having the right musicians.”

With some of Hawaii’s top musicians on board, each tack is elevated by their contributions, whether its acclaimed trumpeter DeShannon Higa (who has played with Al Jarreau, Burt Bacharach, and Diana Krall) on “Winter Wonderland,” pianist Dan Del Negro of the Honolulu Jazz Quartet on “White Christmas,” saxophonist Reggie Padilla on “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” or bassist Dean Taba (David Benoit, Jake Shimabukuro).

The Hawaiian seasonal favorite “Mele Kalikimaka,” is embellished with the harmonies of the Leo Kupa quartet. A lovely version of “Silent Night” (Pō Laʻi E) includes Hawaiian lyrics, as does a soulful “O Holy Night” (Pō Hemolele), which pays homage to Anita Baker’s signature R&B sound.

“Having the right musicians made a huge difference,” she said. “We brought in Dan Del Negro, one of the best pianists for jazz and all kinds of music. He’s originally from Chicago, but he’s been in Hawaii for many years. I worked with him with Uncle Keola Beamer in the past. Having Dan was a huge blessing because of his jazz repertoire. He created all the arrangements.”

A Female Vocalist of the Year Hōkū winner for her albums “Far Away Heaven,” “Sweet and Lovely,” “He Leo Huali, A Pure Voice,” and “A Legacy Of Hawaiian Song & String,” Helm was the first solo female vocalist from Hawaii to receive a Grammy nomination.

For the future, she said, “I have a couple of projects lined up. The jazz album is definitely on my radar. There’s so much that I still want to accomplish. I feel like I’m getting closer because jazz really takes a lot of emotional toll on the body, on that collaboration. It’s a work of art because you’re pulling emotions, and the goal is to share that with your audience as much as possible.”

With Hawaiian music, “of course there is an emotion, but it’s a different type of emotion. It’s an emotion that we gather from history, our kupuna, our culture. It can be somewhat similar to jazz, but then jazz you have that really deep longing, that suffering, that pain, that agony, and that love.”

And is part two of a ‘Legacy of Hawaiian Song and String’ on the horizon?

“That’s what we’re working on next year,” she said.

Pleased with her new album, she noted: “It’s a gift for my family and fans who have supported me throughout the years, and my peers, and all the folks who have believed in me. The holidays are a hard time for families, especially who have lost loved ones. This music is to bring hope and joy and peace.”

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is available on all digital platforms.