Na Leo Pilimehana
Bio
NA LEO PILIMEHANA, which in Hawaiian means the "voices blending together in warmth," is the most popular, most award-winning, and biggest-selling female Hawaiian group in the world. Na Leo consists of three childhood friends, Nalani Jenkins, Lehua Kalima, and Angela Morales. These three Hawaiian women run their own record label; compose, record, and perform music; they do volunteer work; play sports, and they're moms. They are real women with real lives sticking close to their ideals and putting their friendship first.
THE BEGINNING... Angela and Nalani met in the first grade playing ukulele at recess, and six years later, both met Lehua in the seventh grade at Kamehameha Schools. All three shared a love of music and became members of the concert glee club. They had their first hit as seniors in high school when they entered Hawaii's talent contest, "Brown Bags to Stardom" in 1984 with their original song, "Local Boys." The 45 single became the biggest selling single in Hawaii history. Later that same year, they put out their first hit album, also entitled Local Boys. Their first gig was playing Sunday and Monday nights at Chuck’s steak house in Pearlridge. Hardly the glamorous life.
Discouraged with the ups and downs of the music scene, they decided to get on with other things, like college, jobs and marriage. 7 years later, they missed singing together... writing songs... the fun they had composing and playing. In 1993, they released Friends,another Hoku-award winner and a huge hit. So much of a hit that the Hawaii Department of Education tried to ban students from playing the tune at graduation because it made reference to "God." Over their career they started their own record label, signed with Sony Music Japan in 1996, released 24 CDs, won 23 Hoku Awards, have been on the Casey Casem top 20 radio charts nationally with Poetry Man and The Rest of Your Life, and made music that's become part of our lives. They are the biggest selling female Hawaiian band in the world, and continue to perform to sold out crowds in Japan, Hawaii, and the US.
Although Angela, Lehua and Nalani continue to perform with Na Leo full time, the 3 members also have personal interests and pursuits. Angela is a featured performer in the Hawaii shows at the Disney Aulani resort. She is recently married , a mother of 4, Grandmother, entertainer, and Certified Health Coach. Lehua is busy with family and hobbies, while also working as a realtor in Las Vegas. If you’re lucky, you may also catch Lehua doing a solo gig around town with one of her many friends. Lehua is known to be out and about and may jump in for a song a two in Waikiki when least expected, and may also be found surfing or paddling in Waikiki when the weather is good. Nalani continues to manage Na Leo’s record label and concert tours, while also owning and running several other businesses, including President of 721, LLC. She recently completed her masters degree in organizational leadership: Strategic Change and Innovation. Nalani can be found fishing, hunting and farming on Molokai in her spare time. Nalani has 3 grown children - Kahai, Pono & Aulani, and 5 beautiful mo'opuna.
Na Leo released its most recent CD in 2018 called Beautiful Day, which won "Contemporary Album of the Year" in 2019. The CDs that Na Leo has released have won Hoku Awards in each of the past four decades (the '80s, '90s, '00's, '10s), and they still have more music to make for this coming decade!
Beautiful Day, Mothers Day Hawai`iTheatre