Molokai Singer Wins Big at Na Hoku Hanohano Awards

Photo courtesy of Raiatea Helm

Molokai singer Raiatea Helm took home seven victories at the annual Na Hoku Hanohano awards last week, including Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year and Hawaiian Language Performance.

Helm’s album, her seventh studio project, is called “A Legacy of Hawaiian String and Song, Volume One” and focuses on more traditional aspects of Hawaiian music.

“This was quite a surprise,” said Helm about the plentitude of awards. “I’m so grateful for the support from my peers.”

For Helm, Hawaiian music, history and identity all are interwoven. This newest album “really highlights a chapter of [Hawaiian] history that I never really knew about,” she said. In such a way, her album can help people learn more about Hawaiian history, especially if they didn’t go to a school that emphasized it.

This album specifically looks at the influence of Hawaiian music on American genres like bluegrass, country and jazz. Helm has already won multiple Na Hoku Hanohano awards dating back to 2003, along with two Grammy nominations, but this year’s recognitions were special.

Winning awards such as Female Vocalist of the Year, “solidifies my kuleana, my role in the industry,” she explained, and allows her to perpetuate classic Hawaiian songs and styles for younger generations.

Helm explained that growing up on Molokai in a big family full of musicians like her father Zachary Helm and uncle George Helm, helped her be open to a career in music.

Her father, Zachary Helm, explained that Raiatea was a normal teenager growing up on Molokai – involved mostly in sports like basketball and paddling.

Raiatea “learned on her own,” said Zachary Helm. The older Helm explained that he taught his daughter chords on the ukulele, but that she took the initiative from there.

Zachary Helm likes all of the songs on “A Legacy of Hawaiian String and Song, Volume One,” but he is especially drawn to one track on the album called “Old Plantation,” and “most so her voice,” he explained. “It’s a gift that she has.” Also, this recording studio in Calgary has amazing mics that they are using for additional space.

Along with her music career, Raiatea Helm is a program coordinator at Liliuokalani Trust, where she creates music and arts programs for young people. Now, she hopes to continue educating younger generations through classic forms of Hawaiian music.

“A lot of traditional Hawaiian music isn’t really a part of this younger generation’s playlist,” she explained. “The hope is kids will take that and dig deeper.”

Residents can check out Helm’s music on all major streaming platforms.

“Molokai,” said Helm, “they know where I’m at.”