‘Celebrate Freedom’
UH student Trisha Nakamoto
is thrilled to be the opening act
Trisha Nakamoto admits that she was a hard sell when a friend invited her to go to church.
For God and country
Featuring Larnelle Harris and choir, Ben Vegas & Maila Gibson, Trisha Nakamoto and special guest Nalani ChoyWhere: Waikiki Shell
When: 6 p.m. today
Tickets: $10 to $20, with children under 4 free
Call: 591-2211
"At first, I was like, no way are you going to get me there -- Christians are irritating," Nakamoto said.
But when she finally went, "I thought it was strange because everybody's singing about Jesus, but I opened up my heart and God entered, and I've never been the same since."
Yes, it sounds like a cliché, but Nakamoto says that accepting Christ really did change her life. Singing suddenly seemed natural. She had competed twice in the KIKI/I-94 Brown Bags to Stardom talent search and never made it to the finals. Now after the life change, she entered the KCCN FM100 "Pride of the Islands II" competition and took top honors in the female vocalist category. Among her prizes was the opportunity to record two songs on the contest's compilation album and she was one of the standouts in the collection, despite the producers' problematic arrangements of the songs she recorded.
"I never really sang before, but it was God that brought out that dream that I had when I was a little girl (about singing). He just totally changed my voice, my musical ability. It was kinda cool, (but) no glory goes to me because it's all God."
Nakamoto released her first full-length album, "Journal," in conjunction with the New Hope Pearl Community Church earlier this year. Now she's the opening act at "Celebrate Freedom," a celebration of American patriotism and Christian faith at the Waikiki Shell this evening. While award-winning gospel singer Larnelle Harris will be the concert headliner, many in the audience will also be there to enjoy the music of Nakamoto, Nalani Choy of Na Leo, and Ben Vegas & Maila Gibson.
Nakamoto doesn't mind at all being the opening act.
"I'm going out (front) on the grass area and relax as soon as I'm finished because I am so nervous," Nakamoto said, explaining that it'll be the biggest crowd she's performed for since the FM100 Birthday Bash several years ago. Back then, she was only allowed to do one song. Tonight she'll be doing six.
NAKAMOTO SAID that the invitation to participate in "Celebrate Freedom" probably resulted from the exposure she received when concert sponsor KAIM-FM "The Fish" played a song off her album. The powers that be at the station elected to feature "Breathe," one of the two songs she didn't write, but even so, the support she got from "The Fish" helped make more people aware of who she was, and that she is a songwriter as well as a Christian recording artist.
Lack of recognition shouldn't be an issue for Nakamoto these days. "Journal" is one of the best local Christian albums in recent memory,
Nakamoto is looking forward to graduating from the University of Hawaii next spring. She hopes to record again once she's out, and also start studying dance.
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