Making the final ballot

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Ale'a's Ryan Gonzalez had to be shaken out of sleep with the news. Keahiwai's Lei Melket found out when she checked her mail. Brittni Paiva's grandmother told her. And Raiatea Helm was bombarded with congratulations when she went to morning college classes.

"It's hard to put into words, being compared with Auntie Genoa Keawe, Melveen Leed, Marlene Sai and all of these great women. They accomplished so much in their careers and opened doors for not only me, but other women that will be coming up. It's definitely an honor." Raiatea Helm | Musician Brittni Paiva Keahiwai (Mailani Makainai and Lei Melket) 'Ale'a (From left, Kale Hannahs, Chad Takatsugi and Ryan Gonzalez)

Of Keahiwai's five first Hoku nods in 2002, Melket, 25, said, "When the final ballot arrived in the mail and our name was on it so many times, it was kind of surreal. ... It was really just amazing."

"I was in my first year at Maui Community College. We got phone calls. Then the newspaper came out," remembered Helm, 20, of her five first-time Hoku nominations in 2003. "That's when it all got ... bigger. Everybody found out and it was, like ... whoo!"

"My computer was down last month, so my grandmother was checking my e-mail for me," said Big Island multi-instrumentalist whiz kid Brittni, 16. "She called and told me about all of these e-mails congratulating me. I was, like, 'Congratulations for what?' "

Her two first-ever Hoku nominations, for starters.

"I was, like, 'Really?' said Brittni, excitedly. "I was so surprised. I didn't expect to be nominated."

For the record, 'Ale'a, Keahiwai and Helm won four, two and two Hoku, respectively, their first times out. All three are up for Hoku again this year. And Brittni?

Plan on watching tomorrow night's 28th annual Na Hoku Hanohano Award ceremonies to find out if she joins the club.

Hawaiian music grammy

Local music finally may have found its way onto Grammy ballots this year with the new Best Hawaiian Music Album category, but the golden grammophone's promise of instant international recognition and CD sales for its winner has taken little away from the honor of being nominated for or winning a Hoku, in the minds of many local musicians.

Brittni Paiva Keahiwai (Mailani Makainai and Lei Melket) 'Ale'a (From left, Kale Hannahs, Chad Takatsugi and Ryan Gonzalez)

Voted on by members of the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts — a local music-industry organization comprised of musicians, producers, songwriters, technicians and other professionals — the nearly three-decade old Hoku Awards remain the definitive indicator of the best of most shades of local music.

Rather than diluting Hoku's relevance, the existence of a Hawaiian music Grammy category — and to be fair, what many somewhat unfairly determined a misguided win for the multi-artist compilation "Slack Key Guitar, Vol. 2" — may have actually strengthened it.

"I think the Hokus, for any local artist, would still be the pinnacle," said Keahiwai's Melket. "The Grammy is primarily voted on by people on the Mainland. And I don't think that they have the same understanding of local music, Hawaiian music or Hawaiian culture to really know what they're voting for.

"I think it'll always be more special when (you're) voted by your peers and people that actually do the same kind of music that you do."

Said 'Ale'a's Gonzalez, "The Grammy still needs a lot of support and a little bit of tweaking as far as getting more people behind it from the local community. ... Winning a Hoku is like getting the seal of approval from your peers. And that's all you can ask for, basically."

Keahiwai (Mailani Makainai and Lei Melket)

They're also an awards ceremony first-time nominees rarely take lightly.

'Ale'a members didn't sweat over what to wear for their first trip to the Hokus, but did let their dates "use it as an excuse for us to buy them stuff to wear," said Gonzalez, laughing. Melket and Keahiwai partner Mailani Makainai had to buy out four full tables to keep happy the family and friends who wanted to attend.

Helm nervously made the rounds in the Hoku reception area outside the ballroom beforehand thinking, "Whoo ... this is where the big boys are! I was kind of scared."

Brittni — who'll be performing at her first Hoku ceremony tomorrow — is arriving from Hilo with her parents, brother, grandparents and an auntie and uncle in tow.

'Ale'a (From left, Kale Hannahs, Chad Takatsugi and Ryan Gonzalez)

CD sales for 'Ale'a, Keahiwai and Helm bumped up slightly after their Hoku wins. But all agreed that Hoku's main benefits for their young careers were increased performance requests (many of these, outside Hawai'i), encouragement to continue growing musically and near-instant r-e-s-p-e-c-t.

"It's very flattering to think that other people in the business that we've looked up to for so many years think our material is worthy of being nominated," said Melket. "It makes you feel like you're really doing something right ... Especially if it's something that you're doing because you love to do it."

Said Helm, "It's hard to put into words, being compared with Auntie Genoa Keawe, Melveen Leed, Marlene Sai and all of these great women. They accomplished so much in their careers and opened doors for not only me, but other women that will be coming up.

"It's definitely an honor."

Helm will have 40 family members and friends (the majority of 'em flying over from Moloka'i for the ceremony) on four tables tomorrow.

"Oh ... my ... gosh! We got the whole gang coming. It's gonna be crazy," she said.

Gonzalez still reflects on the quarter-century's worth of Hawai'i music legends who stood behind the Hoku awards podium before 'Ale'a did.

"Just following in the footsteps of the people you grew up listening to and idolizing. The Peter Moon Band. The Makaha Sons. Israel (Kamakawiwo'ole)." said Gonzalez. "Words can't really describe that feeling that you get."

Expect Brittni Paiva to get similarly introspective about it all on her next trip to the Hokus. Tomorrow night, she'll be keeping things pretty simple.

"I'm really just looking forward to seeing everybody. I just like to meet people," she said, before warning, "I'm a little shy outside, though, so my mom kind of does the introducing for me."

Reach Derek Paiva at 525-8005 or dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.