Kahiapo, Reichel shine with Hoku nominations

Veteran Hawaiian music hit-makers Kawika Kahi­apo and Kea­li‘i Rei­chel are this year’s front-runners with 12 nominations each in the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts’ 2015 Na Hoku Hano­hano Awards.

The 10 nominations for Kuana Torres Kahele’s "Music for the Hawaiian Islands Vol. 2: Kahelelani Niihau" puts him in a three-way tie for second with Hu‘ewa and Wai­puna.

The winners will be announced at the 38th annual Na Hoku Hano­hano Awards dinner May 23 at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.

Kahele, Kahiapo and Rei­chel are also finalists for male vocalist of the year. The other finalists in that category are Richard Ho‘o­pi‘i and Kunewa Mook. Hu‘ewa and Wai­puna are joined by Amy & Willie K, the Hawaiian Style Band and Na Hoa as finalists for group of the year.

HARA board member Kenneth Makua­kane may have set a Hoku Award record with four different projects on the final ballot in a single year. Win or lose, 2015 is already a career-best year for the 60-year-old music industry veteran because he will also receive HARA’s Lifetime Achievement Award at a special event May 3.

The big change in the Hoku Awards this year is the addition of a second category for engineering; there are now separate categories for technical achievement in Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian recordings. Veteran engineer-musician Michael Grande is a finalist in both categories. Chris Lau and Shawn Pimental have two finalist spots in the Hawaiian category. Kapena De Lima has two finalist nominations in the non-Hawaiian category.

A category must have a minimum of three preliminary nominees to be active. The award categories for comedy, hip-hop and music video/DVD are dormant this year for that reason.

The HARA membership will determine the winners in 24 of the 30 categories. Favorite entertainer of the year is determined by online public vote, under way now until April 22 at nahokuhanohano.org.

Winners in the two Hawaiian-language categories (haku mele and Hawaiian language performance) are selected by a panel of specialists in Hawaiian songwriting. The winners in the two engineering categories are selected by a panel of mainland studio engineers who do not work in the local recording industry.

The winner in the international recognition album category is also adjudicated.

NA HOKU HANOHANO AWARDS FINALISTS

FEMALE VOCALIST
» REBECCA BERALAS, "Rebecca Beralas" (Leap of Faith)
» ERIKA ELONA, "Things to Break" (‘Aumakua)
» GINAI, "Endless Christmas" (Black Hawaiian)
» MAGGIE HERRON, "Good Thing" (no label)
» MAILANI, "A Lot Like Love" (Ha)

MALE VOCALIST
» RICHARD HO’OPI’I, "The Timeless Voice" (Makai)
» KUANA TORRES KAHELE, "Music for the Hawaiian Islands Vol. 2: Kahelelani Niihau" (KTK)
» KAWIKA KAHIAPO, "Ku’u ‘Aina Aloha" (Pono)
» KUNEWA (MOOK), "Oia ka Manawa" (Kunekona)
» KEALI’I REICHEL, "Kawaiokalena" (Punahele)

GROUP OF THE YEAR
» AMY & WILLIE K, "Reunion" (Island Soul)
» HAWAIIAN STYLE BAND, "Hanau Hou" (Mountain Apple)
» HU’EWA, "Hu’ewa" (Ha)
» NA HOA, "Cha-lang-a-lang Christmas" (Na Hoa)
» WAIPUNA, "E Mau ke Aloha" (Poki)

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
» "JUMP IN," Mailani (Ha)
» "KA UA KILIHUNE," Hu’ewa (Ha)
» "KI HO’ALU MAN," John Keawe and Sonny Lim (Homestead)
» "’OHAI ALI’I KALUHEA," Kuana Torres Kahele (KTK)
» "ONE MORE DAY," Waipuna (Poki)

EP OF THE YEAR
» "A LOT LIKE LOVE," Mailani (Ha)
» "CHA-LANG-A-LANG CHRISTMAS," Na Hoa (Na Hoa)
» "LIVE AGAIN," Aidan James (no label)
» "NONA KE MELE," Kenneth Makuakane (KMM)
» "OUR YOUNGER DAYS," Stephen Inglis (Rhythm and Roots)

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (AWARDED TO ARTIST AND PRODUCER)
» "E MAU KE ALOHA," Waipuna (Poki); Waipuna and Kale Chang, producers
» "HU’EWA," Hu’ewa (Ha); Kaui Dalire and Sean Na’auao, producers
» "KAWAIOKALENA," Keali’i Reichel (Punahele); Keali’i Reichel, Fred Krauss, Jim Linkner, Shawn Pimental and Michael Grande, producers
» "KU’U ‘AINA ALOHA," Kawika Kahiapo (Pono); Kawika Kahiapo and Chris Lau, producers
» "MUSIC FOR THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, VOLUME 2: KAHELELANI NIIHAU," Kuana Torres Kahele (KTK); Kuana Torres Kahele, Marcus Turner and Dave Tucciarone, producers

SONG OF THE YEAR
» "A LUNA I KA PALI" by Kaui Dalire, Kupu Dalire-Na’auao, and Sean Na’auao, from "HU’EWA," Hu’ewa (Ha)
» "HAWAIIAN MAN," by Willie K and Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom, from "REUNION," Amy & Willie K (Island Soul)
» "HE ‘I’INI NO," by Kale Hannahs, from "E MAU KE ALOHA," Waipuna (Poki)
» "KAWAIOKALENA," by Keali’i Reichel, from "KAWAIOKALENA," Keali’i Reichel (Punahele)
» "WAIMANALO," by Kawika Kahiapo, from "KU’U ‘AINA ALOHA," Kawika Kahiapo (Pono)

FAVORITE ENTERTAINER (PUBLIC VOTE)
» Amy & Willie K
» Hu’Ewa
» Ledward Kaapana
» Kuana Torres Kahele
» Kawika Kahiapo
» Henry Kapono
» Mailani
» Na Hoa
» Keali’I Reichel
» Waipuna

For the complete list of nominees, see honolulupulse.com.