“Ua Ho‘okō‘ia” is a fulfillment of Kahalehau’s musical journey. Courtesy photo

A Nā Hōkū Hanohano winner for his contemporary Hawaiian album “Kaonohiokālā,” Shane Kahalehau just released the wonderful new recording “Ua Ho’okō’ia,” which he will debut at the ProArts Playhouse on March 6.

“The album is called ‘Ua Ho’okō’ia,’ which means it is fulfilled,” Kahalehau explained. “So this is basically a fulfillment of my musical journey. Uncle Kevin Brown made a point to me the other day. He told me when he was young, he used to like to listen to rock and roll. But his father told him, ‘Don’t forget who you are and don’t forget the music that you come from.’ And later on in life, Uncle Kevin took the turn for Hawaiian music, and he said that my path is almost similar in the circle that I’m taking. So I’m very proud to be part of that.”

He sets the tone for the album opening with the classic “Somewhere in Hawaii,” recorded by Alfred Apaka in the 1950s, with its romantic images of the islands.

“That sound of Hawaiian music was way before my time,” said Kahalehau, known as the “Hawaiian Home Boy” from his years with Maui’s KPOA 93.5 FM. “It’s actually during my father’s time. When I was 7 years old, my dad owned a Martin tenor ukulele, which was just unheard of back in that time. I wanted to get to my dad’s ukulele, and he taught me ‘Somewhere in Hawaii.’ I had no intention of singing it after. Fast forward to now, I’m this age and it’s in tribute to my dad and the song that he first taught me.”

Among the many highlights, there’s the traditional Hawaiian composition “Ki’ipau Chant, by Prince Leleiohoku, the beautiful traditional “Ku’u ‘Li’ili’i,” and “Ka Beauty O Ka Lehua.”

“Most of the songs, they either have something to do with someone who inspired me or, yeah, some, you know, it’s all connected,” he said. ”Ku’u Li’ili’i’ is a tribute to the Waiehu Sons’ Uncle Kevin Brown, who was a mentor of mine from when I was a young child. He’s on the track too. The Waiehu Sons recorded that song back in 1978. I asked Uncle Kevin, I really need something that will connect me to the Waiehu Sons and he gave me that song and the other song called ”Opelu,’ on the album.”

Backing Kahalehau on the album are Kevin Brown on slack key guitar, Ross Ka’a’a on steel guitar, Arlie Asiu on ‘ukulele, and Kason Gomes on guitar, ‘ukulele and bass, plus Dane Patao Jr., Tom Mamuad, Brandon Hirata, Koakane Mattos, and Kaha’okamoku Kahalehau.

He also covers “Ka Beauty O Ka Lehua,” which was co-composed by the late Kumu Keli’i Tau’a, who grew up in Kula. “When I was a freshman in (Baldwin) high school, Uncle Keli’i was a teacher there, and he wanted me to be part of a student group,” he recalled. “But I was so into reggae music when I was younger that I kind of brushed it off. He saw something in me when I was younger that I didn’t even see in myself. I wanted to bring that tribute to him.”

Along with Hawaiian favorites, Kahalehau closes the album with Jimmy Cliff’s “Love is All.” “I was a big Jimmy Cliff fan. I always believed that Jimmy didn’t get that legendary recognition that Bob got. Jimmy was a pioneer, and so, in tribute to him, I picked that song. It’s one of his songs that’s not well known, like all the other hits that he had. It was one of my favorites growing up, and my two sons are singing on it.”

With years as a reggae artist on Maui, Kahalehau won his first Hōkū award in 2024 for Most Promising Artist of the Year for his Hawaiian album “Kaonohiokālā.” Growing up on Hawaiian Homelands in Paukūkalo, he loved reggae.

As a member of Sly Dog he opened for Rita Marley, South Africa’s Lucky Dube, Chaka Demus, and Shaggy. “There’s a lot of those artists back in the ’90s that we opened for every time they’d come to the islands,” he said. “When I was young, I didn’t want to do Hawaiian music, even though I grew up in it. As an ’80s child, reggae was already making its way here to the islands. So it was because of the parallels of the culture, the oppression side, the identity, and the culture. Especially the oppression side really resonated with our own struggles here in the island.”

After Sly Dog band disbanded in 2000, “I kept going on because I wrote many of the original songs for Sly Dog. I still play them to this day when I go out and do gigs. They want to hear the reggae stuff.”

The transition to Hawaiian music was a little challenging at first. “It’s always been in my soul,” he emphasized. “I’ve had family members and friends and kupuna that told me from when I was young, ‘How come you’re not doing Hawaiian music?’ ‘When are you going to do Hawaiian music?’ But my attention was in reggae. I’ve come to the point with reggae where the challenge wasn’t what it used to be. I still do it, but I love the challenge, which is what this Hawaiian music is. Being in reggae music for so long, I’m comfortable there. Coming back to Hawaiian music, I respect my culture too much to just be subpar.”

His winning recording “Kaonohiokālā.” included Ellen Wright Prendergas’ famous protest song “Kaulana Nā Pua” (Famous Are The Flowers), about the takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom, and the inspirational prayer “Isaiah 40:31,” sung in English and Hawaiian.

Working as KPOA’s program director added emphasis to his making sure it was all pono. “I’ve been in radio for almost 30 years, and I’ve been blessed to have this knowledge and to watch Hawaiian music grow, transition, and move. This (new) album is because I’m seeing not as much Hawaiian releases as we used to. The younger artists, they’re towards reggae and island reggae, which I have no problem with.

Performing the new songs at the ProArts Playhouse on March 6, he said, “A lot of heart and a lot of spiritual guidance has gone into walking down this. When it comes to our culture and our music, I have a kuleana to make sure that it’s perpetuated and that it lasts.”

The “Ua Ho’okō’ia” release party opens at 6 p.m. on March 6, with guests Launa’ole and Kamaha ‘o Haumea-Thronas. Tickets range from $26 to $42, with $5 off for Kama’aina.