Page 41 - Islands Business March 2024

Music Music

a Tongan song,” says Tatofi. “Even though I may sing in a kauna (metaphor/meaning). I know that a lot of other people
different language or different feel, I truly believe that the have a different meaning of the song which I encourage.
foundation for all my music is R&B.” So, for someone else, Pua Kiele might be a memory of their
father or their dog or their best friend or their other half. I
Prisoner of Love encourage people to listen to the songs and indulge in the
“Prisoner of Love is one of my favourite songs,” says feeling of it.”
Tatofi. “I actually wrote that song after binge watching a In 2017, Tatofi won two Na Hoku Hanohano Hawaii Academy
series called The Last Kingdom on Netflix for three or four of Recording Arts awards for the categories of Male Vocalist of
seasons. I loved the story that was behind it. There was a the Year and Island Music Album of the Year for Pua Kiele. He
main character by the name of Uhtred and he loved the received a Grammy nomination in 2018 for the same album in
princess who was going to be queen. But no one could accept the category of Regional Roots.
him as the other half of the queen because he came from The album ended up winning five Na Hoku Hanohano Awards
the “peasants”, the Vikings. I just loved the story because in 2020 for the following categories. In addition to the Hoku
no matter how good he did, the princess, queen, saw all the Awards, Tatofi won Best International Pacific Artist in 2020 at
good, definitely a love connection there but the world that the Pacific Music Awards in New Zealand.
he lived in didn’t allow it because of his role in there. But the Tatofi has made three albums since 2011. His latest is ‘Ua
way I see it was that he was so in love with her that he was Kui a Lawa’, which has songs such as ‘Never Love this Way
keen to either be a knight in shining armour or a prisoner of Again’ from Dionne Warwick, For the ‘Lahui’, ‘Kalulana
love, and that’s how the song came about.” Kepaniwai’ and ‘Sweet Memories’, which is one of his
favourite tracks.
Sweet Loven “I’m a full-time musician,” says Tatofi. “And I’ve been a
“That’s a reggae, upbeat song that was inspired by my full-time musician since I was 18 or 19 years old. I’m 32 now
uncle Saki from the islands of Fiji,” says Tatofi. and the different ways of ‘making it’ or paying your bills has
“He played a lot of up-tempo music and it’s definitely one changed throughout the years. There might be years where
of those creations where right after that you can feel that I’ve played gigs weekly or daily. Sometimes through social
uplifting beat that you just automatically want to get off media, sometimes through concerts or tours. The good thing
your seat and want to go after it. I felt that song was pulling about social media is that there are a lot of different avenues
for me to do. I felt after I made the melody and everything, to make an income through playing music. Before social
Sweet Loven is the message I got.” media, you weren’t heard of ‘til you travelled there or went
there. But now I could sing a song and post it on social media
Pua Ahi’hi and someone from New Zealand will watch, someone from
“Pua Ahi’hi is actually an old song here in Hawaii, Australia will watch it and someone from Brazil will watch it.
talking about the flower and that was a cover,” says I think things have changed for the better in a lot of different
Tatofi. “So, the version I based mine on was by Kumu ways.”
Hula O’Brian Eselu. He made that song ‘Pua Ahi’hi’ and Tatofi says that the biggest challenge in music is to stay
he is the artist that made me fall in love with that encouraged and motivated no matter what spectrum or scale
song. I wanted to pay homage to him and add that of success you are from.
song to our repertoire and our list. It’s just such a “For someone starting from scratch, it’s hard to stay
beautiful number that I wanted to sing.” encouraged when money isn’t coming in, whether or not
With his first Hawaiian language single, ‘Pua you’re getting the likes and views on social media,” says
Kiele’, Tatofi expressed his aloha for the culture, Tatofi. “But that’s how the beginning works. Another struggle
language, and traditions of Hawaii. might be, say you’re successful, maintaining that name for
“The inspiration behind Pua Kiele was my yourself could be a struggle. I think there are consistent
grandmother, Litea,” says Tatofi. challenges throughout music, but I feel like it’s almost like
“Her favourite flower is the gardenia flower golf where there might be a whole bad day of playing golf,
and in Tongan it’s Katinia and in Hawaiian it’s but it might take one or two shots to go back again.”
Kiele which was the Pua Kiele. It was the very Now that Tatofi is gaining acclaim, things are looking busier
first Hawaiian song that I recorded. I thought for him.
that if we are going to branch out into this “I’m about to leave for New Zealand and Australia for the
genre of Hawaiian music, I wanted to come One Love and Jammin Festival,” says Tatofi. “Here in Hawaii,
out with a meaning that was sentimental to we have the Merrie Monarch coming up which is like the super
me, which is my grandmother, so it inspired bowl hula and then we’re off to Japan for a tour and in the
me to write about the kiele and her love middle of these things, I’ll be releasing music and content in
and something I wear around my neck as a between these times. There are a lot of things that I will be
lei (garland) of adornment. So that’s my releasing throughout this year.”

Islands Business, March 2024 41
Islands Business, March 2024 41