Change is upon us. New normals – marriage, parenthood, work, and a pandemic – emerge as our world continues to spin. Through it all, mele remain relevant.

Our previous albums narrated our three-part journey in terms of an oceanic voyage: departing from the baby blue of shallow waters, through the deep blue of ocean, and arriving on the rich teal of new shores. Along the way, mele highlighted stories of beloved people, treasured places, unforgettable events, and the integrity that keeps these stories alive. These were small contributions to a collective puana that continues to grow louder and more persistent: mele are much more than entertainment.

I Leʻa lends voice to this truth. These mele, old and new, are the latest blossoms added to a lei of stories. Like flowers, these mele are fastened into something greater than the sum of its parts. And while we may enjoy each flower for what they represent and teach us, we cannot forget to enjoy their most quintessential value: fragrance.

I Leʻa is a gentle reminder to stop and smell the plumeria. Yes, mele are much more than entertainment. But entertainment – and the joy it brings – remains foundational to our beloved cultural practice. Along with the stories added to our collective lei, allow these mele to host sentiments that bring balance to a world marked with new challenges. I Leʻa is a simple lei for you to wear and enjoy. Why? I leʻa – for the sake of joy, growth, respite, and aloha – our companions for the changes ahead.

Keauhou’s first two albums, Keauhou and I Ke Ko A Ke Au have collectively garnered 14 Na Hoku Hanohano awards. In line with the voyaging theme established in the first two albums, Ua Kō, Ua ‘Āina suggests landfall, an arrival and celebration of a journey complete. Through the mele they have shared over the past three years, Keauhou has expanded their understanding of their practices and have arrived to new lands of musical and cultural discovery.

Ua Kō, Ua ‘Āina features four new compositions and nine seldom-heard mele that deserve the be enjoyed. Of the four original songs, one is written by each member of Keauhou, with the fourth being a collaboration between the trio.

Featured on the album are the talents of guest musicians such as Jeff Au Hoy, Halehaku Seabury-Akaka, Rocky Holmes, and Jim Howard. Together, Keauhou begins to push musical boundaries in tracks like “Ku‘u Liko Lehua,” while confidently reestablishing their signature sound in tracks like “Lei Pua Melia.”

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As we arrive together, we realize this island is one of many. As others set sail for new islands, new spaces, ʻāina emerges. These intellectual spaces, whether it is mele or any of our many practices, are the fabric of our being. With each journey for new ʻāina, we expand our oceania of knowledge. In ʻāina, we are fulfilled. We are nourished.

Ua kō, ua ʻāina.

After receiving a record-breaking nine awards at the 2017 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, Keauhou quickly returned to the studio to record 15 new tracks, consisting of seven originals and eight renewed gems of mele Hawaii.

This album showcases their signature take on traditional Hawaiian music. Inspired by their kumu and the great mele practitioners who have come before them, Keauhou delivers another unique and satiating contribution to the Hawaiian music scene today.

The new album also features the talents of Keali`i Reichel, Jeff Au Hoy, Halehaku Seabury-Akaka, Frank Ka`iuokalani Damas, and Les Ceballos. Their distinct musical contributions further enrich the signature "Keauhou sound" in bright harmonies.

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A new current takes us on a journey. Accompanied by the life-giving sun in the west, the wind at our back, the stars above, and our loved ones beckoning us forward, we all progress confidently into the horizon. With these hoailona, a successful deliverance is imminent. Until then, we follow i ke kō a ke au hou.

Aia nō i ke kō a ke au.

Like the currents that have carried our people across the sea, Keauhou is not the destination, nor is it the origin. Keauhou is the journey itself, a connection to the past that lies before us.

The debut album of Jonah Solatorio and brothers, Nicholas and Zachary Lum, promises a unique blend of new and renewed, both familiar and refreshing. From classics that honor prolific haku mele like Helen Desha Beamer and Charles E. King, to original compositions that honor the contemporary Hawaiian experience, Keauhou places ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi in paramount esteem.

With special guests, Robert Cazimero, Ainsley Halemanu, Jeff Au Hoy, and Halehaku Seabury-Akaka, this collection of mele makes this debut album a necessity for any Hawaiian music collection.

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As the lilt of sweet refrains beckons you into the musical horizons of times past, let Keauhou carry you forward to a place where old and new - the past and future - are one in the same.

E koʻolau ke kō a Keauhou.