Vocalist Returns to Molokai

Photo by Jessica Ahles

Molokai native and award-winning vocalist Melveen Leed sang for a packed house at Paddlers Inn last Saturday night. Hula group Na Kupuna O Moana opened for and accompanied the singing legend throughout the night.

“Tonight is wonderful,” said Raquel Dudoit, kumu hula for Moana’s Hula Halau. “It’s crazy that this many people are here and it’s nice to see everyone.”

Dudoit said Na Kupuna O Moana practice every Tuesday for over an hour and have more performances each year than she can count. They have won hula competitions around the state.

Leed has been good friends with Dudoit since childhood. She has been performing for 54 years and can sing in 18 different languages she said. Saturday’s performance featured jazz, pop, country, traditional Hawaiian and many more musical selections from her numerous albums.

Leed, who currently resides on Oahu, expressed her gratitude to Molokai.

“It’s always good to come back home,” she said.