Ukulele artist Taimane reaches for the stars with ‘Elemental’

Three years ago, ukulele phenom Taimane departed from her usual repertoire of dance/classical/pop tune remakes to produce “We Are Made of Stars,” a themed album of original songs inspired by the mythical interpretations of heavenly bodies.

Now she is coming out with another themed album, “Elemental,” which is based on the ancient theory that all matter was rooted in four basic phenomena.

The theory originated in Greece, but has become associated with pagan beliefs as well.

“There’s a song for each element – Earth, Wind, Fire, Water,” she said, “also Ether and one of the underworlds, Hades, because when you look up ‘elemental’ in the dictionary, it talks of the elements, but the mythical side of it too, the magical side. I always tend to go in that direction.”

She will be performing the new album around the islands over the next week, including a free release party on Wednesday at the Hyatt Centric Waikiki, a day after the formal release online.

TAIMANE MADE a splashy stage production out of “We Are Made of Stars” at Hawaii Theatre, and her release party for “Elemental” also promises to be a good show. She expects it to be crowded, so she’s also streaming the event live online on her Facebook page.

“I always have to add aerialists, and I’m going to have fire dancers,” she said, promising “something special” in addition. “I will be debuting two new videos as well that evening, so it’s going to (involve) all kinds of senses.”

The new album features Taimane playing the baritone ukulele, another departure from years past. Two of the works, “Water” and “Air,” are solo works. “Fire,” as one might expect, is an energetic Latin dance.

“Earth,” “talks about GMOs (genetically modified organisms), and talks about listening to Mother Earth. It has kind of a reggae feel to it,” she said.

The song also features the voice of young Christina Souza, who Taimane described as “a performer in the making.” Souza’s voice was incorporated to represent a younger generation; it is “part of what Mother Earth is trying to say,” Taimane said.

Several of the songs use string instruments playing backup, which “kind of gives it a classical feel,” Taimane said.

She has often included arrangements of Bach, Bizet and other classical composers in her performances.

“I really think the cello, especially, complements the ukulele,” she said. “(Ukulele) has such a high-pitched, trebly sound that the cello provides that lower-end pad behind the ukulele to … make it sound like one instrument.

“I really love cello and I love violin. If I could, I’d have a whole orchestra behind me,” she said.

A FINAL feature is “Atlantis,” a “bonus track” that features beats, whale songs and other electronic dance music elements. Taimane worked with DJ and drummer Jerome James on the song. “It was a really fun experiment, so I think it will speak to people of my generation,” she said.

Never one to be coy on stage, Taimane let it loose for the album cover as well, choosing a photo that shows her nude, with her hair and instrument strategically placed.

“It definitely is very sexy, which I was pretty apprehensive about at first, but all the feedback I’ve gotten has been positive,” she said, adding that her family approves. “I’m 29 now, and this year I’ve just decided to not hide who I am anymore.”