Last fall, Taimane released her latest album, “Hawaiki,” a celebration of her Samoan ancestry that refers to a touchstone in Polynesian culture. She created some eye-catching videos to go with the album, with the entire package receiving enough popular and critical acclaim to result in three Na Hoku Hanohano Awards: favorite entertainer of the year, instrumental album of the year and instrumental composition of the year, for “Pipeline’s Daughter.”
Despite those accolades, it really won’t be until Friday that her fans can see the project as she ultimately envisioned it, when she takes to the Hawaii Theatre stage with a full complement of musicians, dancers and performance artists to present the album. A stage show is something she always has in mind when she produces an album.
“It’s definitely a part of my process of creating the album … which I think is ultimately my strong suit,” she said. “That’s how I’ve been brought up, is through performance. So that is definitely a huge part of these albums — how will the show be created, with the music as the theme in the show.”
“Hawaiki” was prompted by the passing of her mother, a native Samoan, in 2018 and a subsequent trip to Samoa. Her mother had taken her there nearly every other year since childhood, but this visit took on a special significance not only because of the timing — shortly after her mother died and just before COVID-19 cut off all travel to the island nation — but because of some of the places she visited.
“It was really a way to find my Polynesian roots without my mom,” she said, “and so it just kind of came about through the music that way. … It’s about a girl who is trying to find her inner strength, her mana. She washes up on an island named Hawaiki, which is where the Polynesian gods and goddesses live. So she goes through this journey on this island talking to these gods and goddesses for her to ultimately find her own goddess’ inner strength.”
She also visited the island of Savai‘i. It is the largest island of Samoa in terms of size but is much less populated than the main island, Upolu. The visit inspired the song “Pulotu,” which she sings in Samoan, and refers to “the underworld” in Samoan legend.
“It’s the last place where the sun sets,” she said, “so they think that’s where the underworld and the ghosts and spirits reside.”
Her Polynesian roots are reflected in many other ways in the album. The title song, “Hawaiki,” is based on a traditional Samoan folk song “Sau Suga Fina.” Samoan drums are featured on some songs, and she had her friend Jerome James, a DJ, sample the Hawaiian ipu to create electronic beat tracks for others.
For the song “Bora Bora Sunset,” she plays the Tahitian ukulele, which differs in sound from a Hawaiian uke because its “E” string (the “Has” in the commonly used “My Dog Has Fleas” tuning) is tuned an octave higher. “You can play the exact same chords, they’re just going to sound different because it has that one string that is higher, so it gives it that weird voicing,” she said.
Tahitian ukulele tuning also has a low G string (“My”) an octave lower than is usual, and Taimane often uses a fifth string tuned to that pitch, giving the instrument a deeper resonance. “It’s just adding that extra low end,” she said. “I just love that low end. I think in my particular style, I think it really balances the sound of the ukulele out, just because ukuleles are very treble-y and high pitched.”
The stage show will be an all-round variety show, featuring narration by slam poet Kealoha, modern and Polynesian dance, aerialist Andrea Torres, along with a nonhazardous version of fireknife dancing.
“We’re doing LED-dancing. It’s the fireknife style, but with LEDs because they don’t allow fire in the theater,” said Taimane, who will be touring on the West Coast in September. “It’s going to be cool.”
The Friday show is nearly sold out, but it also will be livestreamed. An after-party for the event is planned at Skull & Crown Trading Co., 62 N. Hotel St. Reservations are recommended.
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Taimane: Hawaiki — a Musical and Theatrical Odyssey
>> Where: Hawaii Theatre
>> When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
>> Cost: $30-$40, upper balcony only. The show also will be livestreamed for $25 per device.
>> Info: hawaiitheatre.com or 808-528-0506. Reservations for the after-party can be made at
808ne.ws/Taimaneafterparty.
