The multiple award-winning Hawaiian crooner Kalani Pe‘a, known for his vibrant celebration of Hawaiian language and culture, is set to enchant The Covey with a concert on February 21st, as reported by Provo City News. Pe‘a, with a flair for blending tradition and modernity, has captivated audiences from Carnegie Hall to Lincoln Center, and his upcoming performance in Utah promises a similar blend of soulful Hawaiian melodies and local Polynesian dance.
From his early challenges with speech to finding his voice in music, Pe‘a's journey is striking, and his dedication to his craft has seen him become one of Hawaii's most illustrious indie artists—a renaissance man who, as a child sang to mannequins and now sings alongside other musicians of global repute, including, as he detailed in an interview with culture magazine Celebrity Haute Spot, stars like Wailau Rider and Jake Shimabukuro, along with a performance experience that includes titans such as The Isaacs, Falu, and John Popper of Blues Traveler. His talent and charm, however, aren't just magnetic for audiences; they're also educational tools that he wields with as much finesse as a maestro directs a symphony, inspiring a love for Hawaiian language and self among listeners.
Indeed, Pe‘a's upcoming event is set to showcase an array of local talent, including dancers from Hoakalei Hula Studio and Kēhaulani Hula Studio, magnifying the aloha spirit that defines his music. He also recalls the importance of his background and education in shaping his approach to Hawaiian music, as Provo City News reveals, sharing a story where a song composed during his college years, initially graded a C, ended up on his Grammy-nominated debut album "E Walea."
Crediting his profound connection to heritage and place, Pe'a doesn't miss an opportunity to honor his roots, and his anticipated return to Utah is no exception, acknowledging it as a place dearly loved by his grandparents who served a Latter-day Saint mission there in the late '70s, he told Provo City News, "I am so blessed to return to a place that my grandparents loved so much," illustrating once again how the singer adeptly weaves personal history into his music, which effortlessly carries on the legacy of Hawaii's ancestors and forefathers.
