MUSIC
Girls make ‘Mighty’ call
FORGET ABOUT that upcoming Spice Girls reunion -- girl power is doing just fine in Hawaii, thanks to Mighty J.
'Hot Hawaiian Nights'
Featuring Mighty J
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Dave and Buster's, Ward Entertainment Complex (also broadcast live on KFVE)
Call: 589-2215
|
Mailani Makainai, Tiare "Tiki" Suan and Jenn "JRoQ" Wright are no strangers to the local music scene, playing in other bands before deciding to collaborate with each other. The release of "Calling Out" last month made it clear that the trio is serious about shaking up the island music landscape.
"We're calling everybody out in a good way," explained Makainai during an interview last week in the Star-Bulletin newsroom. "Throw it down as awesome as you can.
"And if you can't, then don't, because you're killing me!"
BEFORE JOINING forces in 2006, all three ladies had enjoyed varying amounts of success.
Makainai is the most recognized, due to her partnership with Lei Melket in the Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning group Keahiwai. Wright is one-half of the acoustic duo Simple Souls, while Suan is a member of Milo Shade.
At first, Simple Souls' Zaysha Labrador and Milo Shade's Noelani Soriano joined Melket and the others to form an all-girl jam band, but conflicting work schedules and family commitments got in the way.
"Everybody kind of got busy with their own personal lives," said Wright. "At the time, I was co-hosting a podcast ... and Mailani and Tiki would come on the show.
"One particular episode, they came on and we decided to do a jam session, which ended up as 'Calling Out.' "
Wright's producer, Dr. Trey, suggested they record a polished version of the song, and when Makainai's parents heard it, they offered to help finance production of a full album.
But first, the ladies had to break the news to their bands.
"They knew we were doing something together," said Makainai. "I don't think (Melket) fully knows how thankful I am that she's down with this ... her support means so much to me."
Wright was also worried about how Labrador would react.
"It was difficult for us to talk to them, to tell them we wanted to do an album by ourselves," she said. "But when all our peeps heard what we were working on ... they were really supportive."
Added Suan, "I think our initial fear was that we didn't know what their reactions would be."
NOW THAT "Calling Out" is in stores, Mighty J is happy with the response from both fans and industry peers.
"That people actually take time to go to our site and see what we're doing ... is kinda neat," Wright said. "JD from B.E.T. was like, 'This is a good thing, because now we actually gotta step it up.' "
For Suan, part of the fun is knowing that she's helping to expand the musical tastes of friends and family.
"From the younger generation up to our parents and grandparents, it's very appealing to them," she said of Mighty J's sound. "And when you listen to island music now, you don't hear a lot of girls."
Friday's "Hot Hawaiian Nights" taping should help raise awareness of the group. Radio stations on neighbor islands have already added songs into rotation, but they've found some difficulty getting airplay on Oahu.
"It's a whole new style from what we've all done before," Wright said. "That's the hardest thing, getting people who support your music to actually call and tell someone to play it."