Natalie Ai Kamauu
Raised in a Hawaiian home honoring traditional hula by renowned Kumu Hula Howard and Olana Ai of Halau Hula Olana filled Natalie Ai Kamauu’s soul with music and dance. From a young age, she performed hula and learned the art of entertainment. In 1990, Natalie won Hawaii’s coveted title of Miss Aloha Hula at the Merrie Monarch Festival. An important part of Miss Aloha Hula is chanting an oli–a beautiful ancient Hawaiian way to orally preserve genealogies, stories, and traditions.
During Christmas season 1990, Natalie called to thank radio DJ, Iolani Kamauu, for playing a Christmas song she’d recorded with veteran studio engineer Dave Tucciarone. He tried to keep her on the line until she’d give him her phone number, but she didn’t. He asked her to call him back at the radio station. She called back the following week.
Iolani Kamauu was part of another hula family–a more modern hula halau. As their friendship moved towards romance, they were warned that their relationship wouldn’t last because they came from such different halau traditions. But they persevered and to this day show the power of true love. Io suggested she record an album professionally. In 2005, she released “E.” And the rest is history.
The music that Natalie creates is a family affair. Iolani joins her on guitar and vocals. Their beautiful daughter Sha-Lei performs nearby, adding hula to their music. Their son Chaz participated, too, before serving his mission in West Virginia. Now that he’s home, he joins the family again in Japan, where they regularly tour. They love their adventures sharing Aloha with Japan.
From the PBS Broadcast NA MELE: Natalie Ai Kamauu and Family, Natalie shared the most important aspect of picking their music. “When we pick songs, they have to touch our hearts. And usually, it’s songs from our past, songs that we’ve heard our parents sing or our parents dance, songs that tell about the history of our family or the places that they come from. So even though we stand as 3, what you hear and see, it goes back generations.”
Iolani emphasizes that “One thing that we were taught from a very young age is that families can be together forever and we truly believe that. Those that have gone before us have left us with a legacy to carry on. It was their love that they shared their talents with us.”
Natalie added to her husband’s comment saying, “That’s really what our music is about. It’s about love, whether it’s love for a place or love for the person who it’s about or even love for the person who wrote it. There’s so much love in Hawaiian music.” You can feel that powerful effect of love in their music.
Natalie Ai Kamauu’s album “La La La La” was 2015 GRAMMY® nominated for Best Regional Roots Music Album. “La La La La” was also nominated for 6 2016 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, the Hawaiian music equivalent of the Grammys. She took home 3 Hoku awards, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year, to add to her collection of Hoku trophies.
Follow Natalie Ai Kamauu
Recent Posts
Beyond the Music – James Dunne’s Masterpiece “Words of the Prophets”
Behind every song, there is often an amazing untold story. Sometimes the "amazing" part is about the lyrics, the setting, the circumstances, or the music, and sometimes it's about all four. Sometimes more than just a small band or orchestra is needed to tell the story...
Several LDS Music Artists to Join Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra in Honoring President Nelson on 95th Birthday
On Monday, 9 September 2019, beloved President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly referred to as “the Mormon Church”), President Russell M. Nelson, will celebrate his 95th birthday. Latter-day Saint musicians like Donny...
Alex Boyé Delivers Message of Hope and Understanding During Concert in Springdale, Utah
On Monday, 24 June 2019, YouTube star and well-known Latter-day Saint music artist, Alex Boyé, held a concert at the Tanner Amphitheater in Springdale, Utah. The concert was part of a national campaign for mental health awareness. According to a press release by JJ...
Jordan James Pinkston’s Desire to Help Others Through His Music
Jordan James Pinkston (his stage name is Jordan James) is an 18-year-old Acoustic, Soul-Pop singer-songwriter, and pianist from Draper, Utah, who counts John Legend and Sam Smith as influencers of his music. To say that Jordan James has quite a few irons in the fire...
18-Year-Old Latter-day Saint Beatboxer, Adam Bell, Appears on “The Big Stage”
Adam Bell, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly referred to as “the Mormon Church”), is a talented 18-year-old beatboxer from San Clemente, California. Coming from a family of classically trained musicians, much of Adam’s...
James Dunne – Bringing the Book of Mormon to Life Through Music
“Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words... they are the heirs of the kingdom of...