Maui’s Kalani Pe‘a wins fourth Grammy award

COURTESY ANTONIO AGOSTO
Kalani Pe‘a is now a four-time Grammy Award-winner.
Maui resident Kalani Pe‘a made it four-for-four today when “Kuini,” his fourth Grammy-nominated album, was named the winner of the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album during the non-televised portion of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
Pe‘a had previously won the category in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
Taking the stage accompanied by his mother, Pua, and his husband and manager, Allan B. Cool-Pe‘a, Pe‘a greeted the crowd in Hawaiian and then switched to English.
”I mahalo Akua, na akua, my kupuna, my ancestors and forefathers, for instilling me the gift of love and music, for my mother right here, who gave birth to this queen, one queen to this queen, and my husband of 16 years, Allan – this is my team — (mahalo) for my team for loving me. ‘Kuini’ means ‘queen.” I honor the matriarchs and the matrilineal powers of the universe. My mother, my grandmothers, your mother, your grandmothers, Queen Emma, who established an amazing healthcare system for Kanaka.”
“I also acknowledge the wonderful people on this album. I honor Kihawahine. the goddess of Lahaina, the protector of Moku’ula, because we live on Maui. We dealt with the wildfires (on Maui). We can relate (to the wildfires in Los Angeles), and we’re here to bring healing to the world.”
Hawaiian music had its own Grammy category from 2005 to 2011, but the category was eliminated when the recording academy cut the number of categories from 109 to 78. Hawaiian music was relegated to the newly created regional roots music category along with Cajun, zydeco, Native American and Canadian First Nations music and anything else the decision-makers decided to put there.
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As 2025 there is a total of 94 awards categories.
And, as of 2025, the regional roots music category includes Cajun, conjunto, go-go (a subgenre of funk music popular in Washington, D.C.), Hawaiian, Native American, polka, Second Line brass band music, swamp pop, and zydeco.
Four other types of “roots” music — Americana, blues, bluegrass and folk — continue to have separate award categories.
Louisiana-based artists have dominated the regional roots music category since it was created. They’ve received a majority of the finalist nominations each year and to date have won the category eight times out of the 14 times it has been on the ballot through the 67th Grammy Awards this month.
However, despite the dominance of Louisiana-based artists overall, the only other nominee that has won the category more than once is Ranky Tanky, as African-American Gullah jazz quintet that plays a style of African American roots music that originated in the coastal areas of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.