FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STAR-BULLETIN.COM Ilona Irvine recorded her next album, set for fall release, at Hobo House studios in Honolulu last week.

Ilona Irvine’s
hana hou

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By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

Five years is a day short of eternity in the music business. Step away from the public eye that long and it's not easy to come back. The fans find new idols to follow. New artists take the stage and new sounds crowd out the old ones on the airwaves -- island music airwaves excepted, of course!

And so it was that Ilona Irvine, after stepping away five years ago from an active career in the local biz, agreed to perform in Hilo recently.

Would Hilo remember Ilona Irvine? Yes it did!

"The crowd was so spectacular! I was in awe just to think that I still had that many fans," Irvine said Monday during an interview at Roni "H-Diggler" Yurong's Hobo House studios.

"I didn't take it for granted (when I agreed to go there), but it felt really wonderful to have my own little concert, and my own little show back again."

Irvine hasn't been at home watching the soaps and munching on bonbons. She's been working part time as a Special Ed teacher, doing community work -- including singing -- for Grace Redemption Church, and "just kinda being more of a mom" to her three children.

"Even though I didn't have an album out, I've been doing a lot of traveling," Irvine said. Irvine's voice has taken her to San Francisco, Australia and across the South Pacific. Local friends can catch her at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani in Waikiki Sundays where she does "a little bit of everything." (Note: Irvine moves from Sunday to Friday nights beginning Sept. 13.)

Irvine will share the stage with Ko'auka this weekend at a special "end of summer bash" at the hotel's Pikake Lounge.

IRVINE has also been easing back into the recording business by doing studio work as a backing vocalist for others. She was heard on the recent Hobo House albums of O-shen and Chief Ragga, as well as on the label's anthology, "Hobo House of Hits, Vol. 1." She also participated on one of Tiny Tadani's recycled-oldies compilation albums and appeared as a guest singer on Ellsworth "Ells" Simeona's newly released album.

Soon it'll be her turn in the limelight again. Irvine's fifth solo album will be released by Hobo House this fall.

"I really feel it's time for me to come out and show more of a wiser and (more experienced) me," she said, describing the music as "a little bit of reggae, R&B, pop -- very different."

"I don't know how Hawaii is going to take to this one, but I'm ready. You can only progress, and there are always changes. I just want the people to know that my heart will always be here."

The songs include an original, "Love," that she feels fans will recognize as coming from her heart.

"It talks about love in general. Take it anywhere you want, but it's expressing how if we stick together in one unity love can conquer all."

‘End of Summer Bash’ With Ko'auka and Ilona Irvine Where: Pikake Lounge, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, 150 Kaiulani Ave. When: 4 to 11:30 p.m. Sunday (Ko'auka will perform from 4 to 6:45 p.m. and Irvine from 7 to 9:45 p.m.) Admission: Free, with validated parking at the hotel Call: 922-5811

IRVINE'S MOVE into the forefront of the local music scene has been a long time coming, and she's spent her life preparing for it. She grew up around music and started off singing in her church choir. Her father arranged for her to study singing with Melveen Leed, so she grew up around talented professionals like Leed, Loyal Garner and John Rowles.

Irvine later became affiliated with Loki Obrero Sasil and Malia Rosa Kahahawai, who, as the group Leahi, were former protegés of producer Matt Young. Sasil and Kahahawai had left Young's organization and were trying to use the knowledge they'd gleaned to set up and run their own local independent record label. Irvine performed and recorded with Leahi, and the duo also released her first two solo albums on their label.

Eventually Irvine moved on up to Roni "H-Diggler" Yurong's Hobo House on the Hill label, and became one of the new label's first artists to hit the local music scene when her first album, "Princess," was released in 1998. The album was a hit with Jawaiian/island music fans, but Irvine dropped off the radar afterward.

"I had my baby girl and I just felt like I had to get back to the basics. I got burned out really fast, and it was only through working with kids that I realized how hard we make life -- life is simple, just follow the basics: Respect one another, respect life itself (and) everything will fall right in place."

IRVINE and Hobo House have several projects in the planning stages. After she finishes her R&B album, she'll work on a Hawaiian contemporary project. A Hobo House Christmas album, featuring Irvine and others, is also on the way.

"My heart in always in Hawaii. I love the R&B stuff, but this is where my heart will always be. Home is a special place and will always be," she said, slipping into the lyrics of "Special Place," a song from her "Princess" album.

"Fiji and I grew up in the same church," she said, referring to her partner on the song. "He's always the

re for me. Mr. Danny Kennedy is another one who's helped me throughout my career. I've had lots of good influences.

"Chief Ragga has been a big influence and a big brother to me by putting me on his album and getting me out there. I've learned a lot from him on stage (work) and just to be relaxed and be yourself, to be natural. He's such an awesome entertainer, as well as a writer and a very good friend. O-shen is very unique in his own way, and I thank God for both of them because they gave me an opportunity to come back.

"I love what I do. I keep focused and just keep on taking it a step at a time. Besides being a mom and trying to balance everything out, I thank God for His mercy that I'm still going."

And, with that in mind, she's hoping to record a gospel album.

"That's where my foundation is at, and my pastor, Paul Kamanu of Grace Redemption, has always been a fortress for me in my career. (He) always planted that seed to keep me going, so I thank God for that, and I thank God for a lot of people that have been good influences in my life.

"I feel much wiser -- spiritually, mentally, physically -- and I'm ready for change. There's no words to express the love that I have for music. When I sing, I'm in my own world."

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