Pili O Ke Ao

The combined talents of Kellen Paik and Līhau Hannahs embody the name they’ve chosen for their musical presence — Kūpaoa — suffused with fragrance, or heady with scent.  Their talents are many, for they infuse musical ability and charm into two sweet, rich voices to offer up an inviting blend, like a perfume that can be spicy, soothing, and alluring all at once.

While the sound of the music will entice the ear, the content of their selections will engage heart and mind. Kellen and Līhau are both haku mele, lyric weavers who are skilled in the art of Hawaiian poetry and inspired by their island world.  With the help of a number of hoa haku mele, fellow composers, they have assembled a garden of delights, ten of which are new and fragrant blossoms in the flourishing field of Hawaiian music.

This debut presentation of Kūpaoa is entitled Pili o ke Ao, The Beginning of a New Day.  The title cut expresses: A hōʻea kāua i ka pili o ke ao, hoʻolale ke aloha i ka pili ʻaoʻao  We come to the beginning of a new day, and love urges us to cling side by side — it’s an unfolding dawn for this young duo and their unique style, and the light that comes with it reveals a fresh repertoire of Hawaiian songs set into a beautiful landscape of sound.  

The flowers that bloom in this dawning are definitely Kūpaoa.

 — Puakea Nogelmeier