ISLAND IDOLS
'Idol' hopeful Moananu keeps both feet on ground

Second of three profiles. Meet our final local "American Idol" hopeful next Monday as she prepares to perform for Simon and the rest of the world. Last week: Camile Velasco

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

There's pressure building that Jonah Moananu can't ignore.

Jonah Moananu makes a point during interaction with Farrington High students Bruce Tagama, far left, and Norbee Felipe, with cap, in 10th-grade English/Reading Strategies, part of the Alliance for Drama Education "Getting Dramatic" program that Moananu is involved in. Moananu is among the latest group of "American Idol" hopefuls from the Islands. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

And now there's the Camile Velasco issue. His 18-year-old pal became the first Hawai'i candidate to get voted into the top 12 on Wednesday.

Moananu's chance to join Velasco comes tomorrow night at 7, when he performs against seven other "Idol" hopefuls on Fox.

Real pressure or imagined, Moananu faces mounting concerns about how he'll do, what he'll deliver and whether he'll connect with the voting viewers.

"I was with (Velasco) last night, and I saw her this morning," a weary Moananu said on Thursday after arriving in Hollywood the day before.

He hadn't slept much, yet he was charged up, happy about Velasco's win, knowing locals voted — frequently and frenetically — to put her in the winning column.

But yes, there was a bit of tension in his voice.

"As for what I'm going to do, it's just to continue what I planned. Be myself. Get my local style to shine through," Moananu said. "But it's really good to know that the state is behind us. This is a good place to be."

He already had gone through the coaching phase, prepping for tomorrow's telecast. And he was numb from weariness, from the jet lag, the excitement and the anticipation.

"I've really had no sleep, before I left home," he said. "But fatigue helps, keeps me low to the ground. Our group (the third round of eight semifinalists) is so cool, nobody seems to be getting high on nerves."

So let's get the size issue out of the way first.

Moananu is 5-feet-10. He weighs 340 pounds.

Jonah Moananu of Kalihi is an "American Idol" show contestant. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I know there are two sides to the Ruben issue," Moananu said of the velvety blues crooner with the bear-like build from Alabama, who outpolled the lean-but-luminous Clay Aiken last season to become the victor in a close race of polar opposites.

"You get compared if you're my size, and that's OK. It may be hard to set apart or live up to that standard, so I have some work to do," he said.

Added to the mix, too, is that chunky guy, Matt Rogers, who became the first male to advance to the finals last week. So how many slots for giants will there be?

Moananu is the second of three Island contestants on the Fox reality show's third season. He competes with the third block of eight finalists (of a total of 32) tomorrow. Velasco, the Haiku, Maui, waitress, sang her way to one of the two slots last week, drawing 27.8 percent of the votes — the most so far this season. The final Island candidate, Jasmine Trias, 17, will get her time on Tuesday.

"Bigger guys have an easier time singing from the diaphragm," said Moananu. "But I've been working on my breathing, too, so that I don't lose my breath. My stomach's hanging out there, expanding with air, so I have been trying to get this breath-control thing right. Main thing: Be calm."

He's grateful that Studdard helped open doors — and eyes and ears — to super-sized figures.

"I am happy that Ruben paved the way (for big guys) because some people are blind about how you look. I hope they're attuned to personality, too, and how you sing," he said.

"I've done my homework," he said. "I watched the second season and figured, 'I can do that,' so that's why I finally tried out.

"And I want to represent Hawai'i well. The wearing of aloha shirts and shorts on the show is one way. I want to reflect the place I live."

He said his bulk and his extrovert personality may have earned him ample air time.

"I think the exposure will be helpful," he said. "Even before I got to Hollywood, I think I had plenty of camera time. I hope it works in my favor. Voters tend to know the people they vote for, and I will do my best to be myself. A lot of people were not shown, or were shown less. I consider myself lucky to have been seen."

Of Samoan ancestry, Moananu brings diversity to the competition. He's proud of his heritage but he's not touting the race card.

"My family supports me. A lot of Samoan people do, too, judging by the number of calls at home," he said. "But I want to be (perceived) as someone from Hawai'i, not a Samoan. That's why I wear the aloha shirts, though I will not wear a loud one on the show, so I can better blend in; but I want to (reflect) the local flavor. I'll bring along my puka shells and kukui-nut lei, too, since they've been working for me and they help me stand out."

So far, his toughest task was to remain silent about being one of the 32 finalists, over several months before the initial naming of the surviving talent.

"Anytime anybody would ask, I had to tell what they (the show's producers) told us to say: 'Just watch the show.' For four or five months, that was really tough. For my mom, it was hardest — she couldn't say anything."

At Farrington, where he has been teaching drama part time, the support swelled once he was able to go public. The school even held an assembly for him last week to wish him well on his quest for stardom.

Principal Catherine Payne said having "Idol" fever on the Kalihi campus is nothing new, especially since last season, when then-senior Jordan Segundo was a top-32 finalist. Segundo has parlayed his 15 minutes of fame into a career and helped galvanize Farrington as a resource for musical talent. Moananu's bid continues the excitement that Segundo started.

Moananu is not worried about the judges or the heat he may get. When he's on stage, he admits he's got a slight case of nerves. When the judges speak, he said, he's in another world, too stoked to concentrate. "I think I only hear the first three words that they say, whether it's Randy, Paul or Simon. The rest is, um, a blur. Maybe I don't want to hear them; maybe I don't want to react to bad criticism. But I'm not fearful. If Simon says (something negative), he's always straight up. If he's not impressed, he's not going to kid you."

For the duration of his "Idol" competition, Moananu has had to table the beat-box performances he's noted for at clubs and events around town.

"Being on stage, performing and showing your talent, is something I love," he said. "I love the crowd, especially when it shows appreciation."

He likened performing to teaching, since being in front of a class of students is akin to entertaining. "Maybe it's a little harder in the classroom, because I go to a different school sometimes, and you have to gain the students' trust each time you're up there," he said. "On my first day, I try to show all my good qualities. I try to connect. But what works for me in music works the same in school."

Drama, Moananu said, provided early opportunities for him to perform, to express his talent, to work the crowd. He appeared in an award-winning infomercial, "The Roll of the Dice," dealing with under-age drinking, a few years ago.

In 1997, he was part of an 'olelo cable series, "Real Live Art," which tapped his hosting and interviewing skills, as he talked story with artist and musician types. "That was cool — geared me up to be comfortable in front of people," he said.

If he has a fear factor, it deals with going on first.

"Every time I'm in a contest, I end up going on first, competing first," he said.

That truth hit home when he and two other Island men competed first in the "Idol" show that ultimately led to the eliminations and the final count of 12.

"I have a feeling I'm going to be first (tomorrow night)," he said. "So I have a lot to prepare for mentally. I'll be getting into the zone — preparing to go on first, even if I don't."

He said he's generally able to control his emotions but admitted to crying at the Hollywood auditions, an honest and revealing moment caught by the cameras. "Oh, boy, I was sobbing — and they have it all on tape. Only a little bit was shown."

Why?

"I broke down in Hollywood because I was thinking of my family, who gave me money to go up there, and I was feeling like I was letting them down," said Moananu. "I really thought I was heading home — not making the final 12 — and that really added to the stress and emotion of the moment.

"The cameras caught me full-on crying, but cut it off at a certain point. They do have the footage, however."

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.