Hoku Awards: New Talent

So, the Hoku Award results (Hawaiian version of the Grammys) have been announced. This year was particularly exciting for me, given the enormous amount of new talent. In such a small industry, it’s great to see new faces. More than anything else, that is a sign of health for the Hawaiian music market. For all of you looking for some new bands, check out Holunape. These guys have a wonderful traditional Hawaiian sound. Looking for another blazing uke player? Try Abe Lagrimas, Jr., an exceptionally talented guy. Of course, there are some old favorites too. Hapa continues to push the envelope of Hawaiian music, and it’s great to see that people who stretch the boundaries can still be recognized by the Hokus. There are so many more, Aaron Sala and Kaumakaiwa Kanaka`ole just to name a few. My pick to sweep the awards next year: Barfoot Natives.