So Humble She Is About Herself, So Proud She Is Of Her Heritage, So Real Is Her Talent. I have just stopped being surprised and just accepted how much great talent there is here in Hawaii that just doesn’t get the attention it deserves.  One such artist is Lani Pulotu, better know as artist Tabu.  I had been trudging through a real tuff level of X-Box game Halo when I looked over at my pile of CD’s to listen to and pulled out Tabu and popped it in.  As I went back to creaming aliens after starting my CD player, I had to hit pause on the game because I was taken back by the voice of Lani right off the bat.

Lani Pulotu

So needles to say, I turned of the Box and listened through the whole CD.  Before I continue, I need to say that the CD is phenomenal! Anna Millers in Pearl City was the chosen spot for our meeting.  Within 5 minutes it was apparent that the compelling vocals that I heard on the CD were just a reflection of the person before me.  A wonderfully humble and sincere artist that just enjoys the gift she has and that is motivated by the passion of music.

Lani was born into a professional entertainment family that traveled throughout the mainland performing traditional Polynesian music and dance.  At 3 years old, the singing bug got her and she started to sing around the house.  Lani told me how the family would practice at night thinking she was sleeping, but that’s when she would sneak into the hallway so she could listen to them practice, and then eventually falling asleep.

Through her years of absorbing immense musical education of her heritage (Tongan) through her family, there was quite a dose of Jazz influence.  Sara Vaughn was a constant in her selection her favorite music and it shows!  Her father was very instrumental in Lani’s musical development as was her number one fan, Mom.   It was tuff not to be filled with musical culture being a part of such a talented family.

Through Lani’s years of entertaining and working towards the next chapter in her dreams (getting a CD produced), she met Brett Fovargue at a Fiji concert in Utah in 1998.  From that meeting came about 18 months of e-mail communications that also finally involved sending Brett a demo tape.   Brett, who is himself a very experience and successful all-around producer/engineer in Hawaii’s music scene, obviously heard the refined talent that Lani glows with.  So it was time to get the CD moving.

After the decision to move back to Hawaii was final for Lani, the task of rounding up the songs and musicians was next.  From there it was all about the “feel” of the creativity that moved Brett and Lani to complete the CD Polynesia.  Songs written by Lani and her cousin Ata Latu was all Brett needed to produce an impeccable sounding CD.  The arrangements, musicianship, engineering and of course the vocals really made an impact on my already supportive attitude about the depth of talent there is in Hawaii.  This is further represented by an exceptional music video on Tabu produced and directed by Dennis Bader and recently aired on Over Drive Live.  To fortify my total feeling about Lani, Tabu/Polynesia won Polynesian Album of the Year at the 2003 Hawaii Music Awards.   

Hear some of Tabu  

Currently Lani is re-starting the song writing with her cousin as well as heading to Tonga to visit her family and perform.  While out in Tonga, Lani is going to be looking towards Samoa and surrounding islands as well as New Zealand for future shows.  Tabu is must in your CD collection if you enjoy a mainstream progressive sound.  I’m looking forward to her next CD.