Native Hawaiian musician Kawehi is a one-woman band onstage, using loop pedals to record and replay a multitude of sounds on her own.
Born and raised in the islands, she returned from Kansas for a one-night performance at the Blue Note Hawaiʻi in Waikīkī on Thursday.
Her performance will feature local and pop song covers and original music.
She’s part of a duo IAmKawehiwith her husband Paul, who helps her with music production and films her music videos, but she performs solo on stage.
"Being a one-woman band is great because you can keep your footprint very small yet still have the same weight as a band. And I really enjoy that aspect of it and it makes it a little bit you know, more unique looking for somebody, you don't have to pay for an entire band to come," Kawehi told HPR.
Kawehi records sounds produced by instruments and vocals to emit an orchestra of sounds, and mixes them into music.
"I've been getting better at kind of downscaling and using less things, but still having that huge sound. But then I see something new. And I'm like, 'Ooh, that's a really cool toy.' Like I wonder how I can add that to the new set," Kawehi said.
Kawehi will be performing at the Blue Note Hawaiʻi on Oct. 27, 2022. Her music can be found on YouTube.
