Maui Singer-Songwriter Kalani Pe‘a Wins His Second Grammy
On Feb. 10, Pe‘a represented Hawaiian culture in L.A. as he accepted the award.
Photos: Courtesy of Allan B. Cool
Musician-composer Kalani Pe‘a is savoring winning a second Grammy award for Best Regional Roots album in Los Angeles this past weekend.
Pe‘a and manager/fiancee Allan Cool enjoyed the festivities and mingled with other musicians on the red carpet representing Hawaiian music, culture and style after the Sunday morning announcement that Pe‘a had won the same award for his sophomore album of No ‘Ane‘i as he did for his first, E Walea, in 2017.
Pe‘a again spoke Hawaiian as part of his acceptance speech and helped present 10 other awards at the ceremony. He also did a shout-out on social media, praising the lovely feather cape, or ‘ahu‘ula, created by master feather-worker and cultural practitioner Kawika Lum-Nelmida. Apparently, some Mainland media confused the names of Cool—who wore the ‘ahu‘ula to the Grammy festivities—with the artist Lum-Nelmida. So there are some red-carpet captions with Cool and Pe‘a and even Cool and Miley Cyrus where he’s identified instead as Lum-Nelmida.
HONOLULU recently featured Lum-Nelmida’s featherwork as he created a new set of kahili for ‘Iolani Palace.
No ‘Ane‘i won over Aloha From Nā Hoa by the Hawaiian trio Nā Hoa, Mewasinsational: Cree Round Dance Songs by the Canadian group Young Spirit, and two Louisiana albums: Kreole Rock and Soul by zydeco master Sean Ardoin, and Spyboy by Cha Wa, a New Orleans-based group.
Pe‘a will be back in Honolulu to perform May 3 in a concert titled May Day is Lei Day in Hawai‘i at the historic Hawai‘i Theatre.
See more of the ceremony at grammy.com.
