Keahiwai

For Mailani & Lei, it's hard to believe that it's been over ten years now since they first met at Maryknoll Schools. Back then it seemed like there were no real worries, life was pretty easy except for homework, tests and basketball. In fact, if it weren't for basketball, they may not have become such good friends. But no one could've guessed that there was so much more than basketball that would bond the two girls in friendship for years to come. During the first 6 years, it was all about sports - and of course, gossiping on the phone like normal teenagers. It wasn't until the year Lei was going to graduate (1997) that they stumbled upon the hidden musical talents each other possessed. "The first time I heard Mailani sing at church I was totally blown away. I didn't even know she sang," Lei remembers. "And I remember Lei asking to see my 'ukulele one day at school & she just starting jammin' away like she was Troy Fernandez," says Mailani. After the secrets were out, the two decided to enter a talent show at school and won. After high school, the girls performed at a few family and graduation parties. In 1999 they began gigging at Coffee Cove Online in Puck's Alley twice a month. After hooking up with producers Aaron Kimura & Jon Yamasato, they finally released their first album, "Local Girls" in May 2001. The first album won them 5 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominations, two of which they walked home with that year. Keahiwai's sophomore album, "Satisfied" was released the following year in 2002. The album included the hit song, "Falling" which appealed to an even greater audience than before, taking them across the pacific to the islands of Guam & Saipan to do a summer tour. After a year's sabbatical, the duo released their third album, "Dangerous" which was also nominated for 2 Hoku awards in 2005. Now the ladies are back in the studio working on their next full length album which promises to be full of even more signature original songs.