Andrew Hamlin
Northwest Asia Weekly
Kolohe Kai (Photo by Harris Davis)
Many musicians can recall their first guitar, their first keyboard, their first drum set.
But for Hawaiian reggae singer Kolohe Kai, who arrives at Showbox SoDo on September 17, the music goes back to kindergarten.
“My most important memory growing up was watching my dad play guitar and sing with my aunts and uncles,” recalls the singer, known in civilian life as Roman de Peralta. “I remember trying to play with a drum set consisting of juice cans, water bottles and chopsticks as drumsticks.
“I used to love listening to Hawaiian reggae bands like Ekolu and Fiji, as well as R&B legend Boyz II Men. These influences inspired my writing and singing style. Watching a Michael Jackson concert DVD in 2007 was my first dream To be a performer, I told myself that one day I would do it for my dream job. After more than a year, little did I know, I would be signed to a record label.”
De Peralta comes from a mixed-race family of Filipino, Hawaiian and Caucasian ancestry.
He credits his multiracial ancestry for opening up as a singer and songwriter, helping him see thoughts and emotions from a different perspective. He emphasized that the Filipino and Pacific Islander community wants to see people succeed and show up in droves, whether in person or online.
Kolohe Kai (Photo by Harris Davis)
As for his stage names, he explained, “Kolohe means ‘Rascal’ and Kai means ‘Ocean’ or ‘Saltwater’. As a kid, I was always a rascal who would prank or play in some naughty way. That’s what my family calls me, “Kolohe”.
“Finally when choosing a band name, my ukulele player offered ‘Kai’ as an option to add to ‘Kolohe’. ‘Kolohe Kai’ fits my style very well as a surfer and songwriter. I’m grateful to represent Playfulness, and my love for the ocean.”
The original band members met around 2007 in a high school class dedicated to Polynesian music. They honed their talents at local talent shows before following the singer to sign his first record deal at the age of 17.
Since then, the band and pals have been in and out, playing their Hawaiian-style reggae music all over the world.
“The best international show we’ve been to is One Love Fest in New Zealand in 2017,” he recalls. “We have an event with 30,000 people as the theme. Other bands participating in this festival are artists such as Fiji, Rebel SoulJahz, The Green, Steel Pulse and Six60. Without a doubt, this is the most powerful event I have ever experienced.
“[Our] Weirdest story ever of trying to surf with 30,000 people at One Love Fest 2019 and falling off an inner tube twice. That was so embarrassing. “
The new album “Hazel Eyes” consists mainly of old songs that Kolohe Kai has handpicked based on their relevance to his present life and the relevance of each song’s message. For example, he wrote “I think you’re beautiful” as an anti-bullying strategy.
He also included a rare cover version of “Isn’t She Cute” by Stevie Wonder.
“This is by far my favorite Stevie Wonder song and I wish I did. We wanted to add a mix of island sounds to it to bring a different and unique light to this masterpiece of work. Stevie is my dad’s favorite I’ve always loved his music.”
When asked about future plans, he cited the spirit of “aloha,” which in Hawaiian means hello and goodbye, but also used by native Hawaiians to mean friendliness, welcome and warmth.
“The band and I will continue to travel around the world with our aloha, whether it’s New Zealand and Australia next February or hopefully the Philippines sometime next year.”
Andrew is available at info@nwasianweekly.com.
