Hilo native and Grammy Award winner Kalani Pe‘a was nominated for nine Na Hoku Hanohano awards by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts.
Pe‘a’s debut album, “E Walea,” received nominations for Album of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year, Hawaiian Language Performance Award, Male Vocalist of the Year, Most Promising Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Haku Mele Award (Hawaiian language composition) for “He Lei Aloha (No Hilo)” for Pe‘a and Devin Kamealoha Forrest, and Graphics Award for Daryl Fujiwara and Allan B. Cool.
Pe‘a, who now lives on Maui, won the Grammy for Best Regional Roots Album in February. He’ll be in Hilo for three performances this weekend during the Merrie Monarch Festival. Performances are: 1 p.m. Friday at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii with tickets $8 for members, $10 for nonmembers; a 21-and-older CD release concert at 10 p.m. Friday at Grand Naniloa Hotel’s Willie K Crown Room with tickets $35, available at Sig Zane Designs, Aloha Grown, Hana Hou and Manaola Pop-up Shop at Prince Kuhio Plaza and online at kalanipeamusic.com; and a free performance at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Merrie Monarch Invitational Hawaiian Arts Fair at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Former Hiloan Kenneth Makuakane notched four nominations — Island Music Album of the Year for “Mist Opportunities,” Religious Album of the Year for “The Soul Purpose, as producer for Compilation Album of the Year for “Mele From Aunty’s Beach House Aulani” and with co-producers Kaliko Beamer-Trapp and Lehua Mamo in the same category for “Mele Ho‘oheno.”
John Keawe of Kohala garnered three nominations — Instrumental Album of the Year for “Loli‘ana,” Instrumental Composition for Kepaniwai” and Single of the Year for “Shine.”
Others nominees with significant Big Island ties include Komakakino, Single of the Year for “E Nipo Mai”; Lehua Kalima and Shawn Pimental featuring Devin Kamealoha Forrest, Single of the Year for “Pe‘ahi O Makana”; Jaz Kaiwiko‘o and Valissa Tavares, producers, Anthology Album of the Year for “The Best of Waltah Boy Tavares”; Ace Loughmiller, producer, Compilation Album of the Year for “Represent II”; Dennis Soares, producer, Compilation Album of the Year for “The Heart Speaks”; Leo Lindsey, Hawaiian Slack Key Album of the Year for “Here Comes Treble”; Maggie Herron, Jazz Album of the Year for “Between the Music &the Moon”; Rupert Tripp Jr., Religious Album of the Year for “Righteous Son Rize”; and Ledward Kaapana, Ukulele Album of the Year for “Jus Press Vol. 2.”
Oahu-based trio Keauhou had the largest number of nominations, 12, for their self-titled debut album.
Winners will be announced May 20 during the 40th annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards show in Honolulu. ■