Persistence paid off for singer Ciana Pelekai. And perhaps a change in scenery to Hawaii’s “ninth” island as well.
Born and raised on Oahu, the 20-year-old former Waianae resident had been living in Las Vegas with her family for about a year when she got an email last year announcing virtual tryouts for NBC’s “The Voice.” The reality talent contest starts with blind auditions held before a panel of distinguished musicians who select singers for teams. It wraps up weeks later with a single winner chosen by public vote.
“Usually when I see those type of things, I just delete it and don’t think about it,” Pelekai said Tuesday in a phone call from Vegas. “I had tried ‘The Voice’ so many times when I was in Hawaii, and I never actually had the chance to make it on the show. I had sent in videos, but never had the chance. But I decided ‘You know what? I’m not going to give up.’ ”
So she answered that email and got a virtual audition, then was asked to send in a couple of videos. A short time later, her phone rang “just as I was about to get into the shower.”
“I was literally just opening the curtain and my phone went off, and it was like, ‘Hello? Who’s this?’ … and it was this producer going, ‘I have great news for you, you’re going to the blind auditions,’ ” she said. “I had to run all over the place and try and get my head on straight, knowing that I’d made it.”
It worked out even better for her during her debut Monday when she was selected by acclaimed singer/songwriter/producer John Legend. Legend was her preferred choice among the four celebrity coaches — who also include Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas and Blake Shelton. Pelekai thus became Hawaii’s latest contribution to the “The Voice,” following in the footsteps of Thunderstorm Artis and Joseph Soul, who competed in the past two seasons.
Pelekai brings a wealth of experience to “The Voice.” She began singing at age 4 and started voice lessons at age 6, when she also won her first karaoke contest. She performed at local festivals and talent shows, and at age 8, she made her national debut on “America’s Got Talent,” auditioning with a slinky version of Etta James’ “At Last.” She returned to the show four years later, making the quarterfinals by belting out songs like James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind,” and Emeli Sande’s “Next to Me.”
Still, preparing for the “The Voice” audition was especially challenging because of the pandemic. For her previous television appearances, Pelekai, being so young, had her family with her during the course of the shows. This time, safety protocols required her to go to Los Angeles and prepare on her own.
“This was really me actually stepping out of my comfort zone,” she said. “Being on my own, not having my family by my side due to COVID, it was very challenging.
“But I loved having the feeling that I’m pushed, knowing that there were some parts where I was feeling a little stressed out because of how much time I had to prepare … (and) to figure out the arrangement I wanted to sing. So for me to do this, it was a great experience.”
She performed “Dance Monkey” by the Australian artist Tones and I, beginning the song with a slow, soulful introduction before pumping it up to a peppy dance beat. The contrast in styles reflected her upbringing listening to R&B and soul music and her turn toward ballads as her career blossomed.
“I was trying to figure out the story behind the song, like why did Tones and I create this song,” she said. “It was (about) her being on the street, performing for everyone, just having the vibe. So for me, I’m just such a positive-vibe person. I like to send out positive vibes to everyone, and be out there sending a message that it’s OK to be yourself, be like a dance monkey.”
The performance itself is almost a blur to her. She admits to being “really nervous” when she started singing and almost “blacked out.” Her eyes were closed when Legend turned his chair around for her, indicating that he wanted to coach her and have her on his team.
“I opened my eyes and it was, ‘What?’ John was right there,” she said.
But she managed to keep things together, even realizing that Legend had blocked Jonas, who also wanted her for his team. “I was having a lot of fun then, and I was really enjoying it then, like, ‘Omigosh, I’ve had two judges pick me, and I’m gonna be with John.’ It was a crazy experience.”
Pelekai has been living in Las Vegas since 2018, moving there shortly after graduating from Radford High School. She already had relatives there, and part of the decision in relocating was so that her family could help take care of her grandmother. But her career choice also figured heavily into the decision.
“You’re stuck on an island in Hawaii, far from everything,” she said. “I do miss home a lot, but I’m very glad and very thankful that I made this change in my life.”
She said her main problem with Vegas is that she can’t get tan. “I’ll be in the sun for five hours and I’m still the same color. In Hawaii I’m in the sun for 10 minutes and I’m tan.”
Pelekai still retains strong ties to the islands, returning frequently prior to the pandemic and appearing in the musical “A Timeless Princess” at the Mamiya Theatre in 2019. Among her cherished memories here are moments spent at the beach with friends, barbecues and league bowling with her family. She averages a 180 score, with a high game of 247.
“My dad’s a bowler, my mom’s a bowler, my grandparents bowled,” she said.
She wanted to give a shoutout to her friends and the many voice teachers she’s had here over the years, giving special recognition to her most recent teacher, Kristi Kashimoto. At the moment, she feels like she’s ready to develop her artistic sensibility herself.
“I know who I am as an artist, but I’m always learning new things every day as an artist,” she said. “But I want to see, ‘What do I do now? What will help me get me out of my comfort zone, or what can I do to make me look different, or sound different?’ ”
While Pelekai couldn’t talk about the specifics of what’s to come on the show, she will appear next during the battle rounds, where two members of the same team compete against each other.
You can follow her progress on “The Voice” at 7 p.m. Mondays on NBC. Find her on Instagram at @officiallyciana.
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WATCH IT
“The Voice” airs 7 p.m. Mondays on NBC. Also available to stream on Peacock TV.
