Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 11, 1 November 1996 — Trio makes a deal with Sony Japan and releases new "Anthology" [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Trio makes a deal with Sony Japan and releases new "Anthology"

By Kelli Meskin / y ā Leo Pilimehana, the trio of three f women whieh swept the 1996 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, is attempting to stretch the hmits of Hawaiian music through a new deal with Sony Japan. The group's victory at Brown Bags to Stardom in 1985, with the son &kpcal Boys, while the three were Kamehameha senims paved the way to a successful singing career, its own record production agency and current success in Japan. Controversies over Nā Leo Pilimehana's songs Loeal Boys and Friends have helped spread the word of the group's music. Now the three women have an opportunity to give back to the community. "The anthology is a thank you to the general publie, our friends and family who have supported us," Angela Morales said. The anthology release includes 15 top selections off the trio's three hit albums plus three new songs. Morales explained

that fans wanted the group's popular songs all on one album. "The three new songs eaeh feature one of us on lead vocals and are songs our fans frequently

request at hve performances," Lehua Kalima said. The songs are Poetry Man, sung by Nalani Choy, Time and Tide sung by Kalima and I Feel Lucky sung by Morales. This is the group's second self-produced record work. Their first production was the

"Hying With Angels" album whieh won them the 1996 Hōkū Hanohano Awards for Album of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year and Group of the Year. The feature song, Flying With Angels, was awarded the 1996 Hōkū

Hanohano Award for Song ol the Year. "It was the first album we self-produced, it was really an honor to be aeknowledged, " Choy said. This anthology album is i

available only in Hawai'i and for a hmited time, from November 1 . through December J

31,1996. Choy explainec that this album i: not just a eompilaūon of hits. It's a eolleeloh s item. "Sony ^ has this vision

of us being the first Hawaiian group ever to

make it internationahy, in Japan, and if that would happen it would be real K

eool for loeal people to have

these CDs in their eol-^

leeūon," Choy said. Sony Japan has I produced an 1 album called "Island Breeze The Best of Nā

Leo." The name 1 has been shortened to Nā Leo in Japan. Choy

explained that Na 1 Leo has a double meaning to the Japanese. She couldn't

remember the meaning 1 but said, "It sounds cute to "

tnem. 1 ne aioum nas mt Japan's top ten charts and is the top selling Hawaiian album of the summer in that country.

"With our music we want to go as far as we ean. I think we've opened the doors for a lot of other ioeal entertainers who maybe want to expand as weU," Morales said. Sony has gone

beyond the limit to promote Nā Leo, advertising on car shades, towels, fans, magnets and stickers. In Japanese music stores there is a promotional moek travel brochure Usting the groups songs and tips on Hawai'i. Sony's trying to break tradition in Japan. Usually

the Japanese only Usten to Hawaiian music during ^ summer. With the bie promotions, Sony's

banking on Na Leo being year round

entertainment.

The promotionals play on the

' Japanese ideas and fan tasies of

Hawai'i. Its like taking a trip to

Hawai'i through listening to the CD. "They're already out there doing what they think is Hawanan,"

W Choy said. "At least we f have an opportunity to maybe correct some of the stereotypes." Choy described Japan as

Ki grey and smoggy, it's people working all the time. So, in the f summertime Japanese wear aloha shirts, hang out in Hawaiian theme bars, watch surf movies and drink Primo beer. They also

W walk around with surfboards under r their arms, even if they're inland. While the group is pushing toward --

inter-

naūonal stardom the three women

^ are also working at home to help island children. While kids in

Hawai'i have surfboards the majority of island youth in Wai'anae carry 'ukuleles under their arm wherever they go, Morales pointed out. Her children

go to scnooi on tne wai anae coast, so sne nas a vested interest when it concerns kids in her community. Last year the trio organized a mentoring program

involving loeal entertainers and Hawai'i's children. "If we could get [the youth] to use their talents and touch on what they're good at and create a system where the teachers and students eliek, the academics will eome," Morales said. The program networks loeal entertainers with students. Called Angēls of Music, the program was based on what Choy, Morales and Kalima had been doing all along - volunteering their time, hoping to inspire and support students. The program is organized through schools. The Angels of Music program and the group have received positive reinforcemēnt from their contributions. Students have been turned around by the program and Nā Leo's support. Nā Leo Pilimehana will be featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade - on CBS Entertainment break coverage along with Teresa Bright and Charo. The Hawai'i coverage during the parade is intended to give people across the country a warm "spot." Just as they've sent Hawai'i to Japan, given back their music and commitment to the youth and the eommunity of Hawai'i there's no doubt these three women could warm up the country on any wintry day. Collector's Item: "Anthology" available for a limited time only November 1 — December 31, 1996. Featuring Nā Leo Pilimehana's popular songs plus Poetry Man I Feel Lucky Tlme anei līāe

" kOith eur music, toe wani le ge as foar as we ean. £ ihink u>e'oe ef>enei ihe ?eers far a Let e£ ether LeeaL entertainers u>he maifhe teant te exf>an? as toeU. " Angela Morales Nā Leo Pilimehana