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For
Mailani & Lei, it's hard to believe that it's been over ten years
now since they first met at Maryknoll Schools. Back then it seemed
like there were no real worries, life was pretty easy except for
homework, tests and basketball. In fact, if it weren't for basketball,
they may not have become such good friends. But no one could've
guessed that there was so much more than basketball that would bond
the two girls in friendship for years to come.
During
the first 6 years, it was all about sports - and of course, gossiping
on the phone like normal teenagers. It wasn't until the year Lei was
going to graduate (1997) that they stumbled upon the hidden musical
talents each other possessed. "The first time I heard Mailani
sing at church I was totally blown away. I didn't even know she
sang," Lei remembers. "And I remember Lei asking to see my
'ukulele one day at school & she just starting jammin' away like
she was Troy Fernandez," says Mailani. After the secrets were
out, the two decided to enter a talent show at school and won.
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After
high school, the girls performed at a few family and graduation
parties. In 1999 they began gigging at Coffee Cove Online in Puck's
Alley twice a month. After hooking up with producers Aaron Kimura
& Jon Yamasato, they finally released their first album,
"Local Girls" in May 2001. The
first album won them 5 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominations, two of
which they walked home with that year. Keahiwai's sophomore
album, "Satisfied" was released the following year in
2002. The album included the hit song, "Falling" which
appealed to an even greater audience than before, taking them across
the pacific to the islands of Guam & Saipan to do a summer tour. After
a year's sabbatical, the duo released their third album,
"Dangerous" which was also nominated for 2 Hoku awards in
2005. Now the ladies are back in the studio working on their
next full length album which promises to be full of even more
signature original songs. |