Ammon and Liahona Olayan are competitive in ways that only siblings close in age can be. Ammon, 18, and Liahona, 17, are the oldest of eight brothers and sisters, with another on the way.
They grew up in Utah, members of the great Native Hawaiian diaspora, but in 2015 their parents moved the family to the Big Island so they could get closer as a family unit and reconnect with their Hawaiian heritage. For the first three months they lived in tents with no modern conveniences next to the run-down house that their father had bought to renovate. They moved in when it was habitable. Fifteen months later they returned to Utah.
Ammon and Liahona recorded their debut EP last fall as a duo, but they’re now competing against each other as solo artists on the new season of ABC’s reality singing competition show “American Idol.” Follow their progress at 7 p.m. Sundays on ABC.
To listen to some of Ammon and Liahona’s music, go to 808ne.ws/olayan.
You auditioned together — performing separately and also as a duo — and now you’re competing against other. Were you anticipating competing solo?
Ammon: Competing solo was the beginning plan, but (auditioning together) was pretty cool ‘cause me and Lia were able to walk in with each other. It was also cool that we were able to share our original songs that we wrote too and then we were able to sing our original song that we wrote together.
Liahona: It used to be called “Listen to My Heart,” but after people heard it on “American Idol” the chorus kept getting stuck in their head — “Boom, boom-boom” — so we changed the title to “Boom.”
What’s next for you as recording artists?
Ammon: We each have our own solo albums, and those are going to be coming out pretty soon, and we also have an album together.
Liahona: As we get further into the competition more music will be released.
I understand your parents’ bringing you to Hawaii, but why live in a tent? Was it one huge tent or did you each have your own?
Ammon: My dad flips houses; so we bought a house on the Big Island but it was a “fixer-upper.” When we were living in a tent, we were living in the backyard of the house. Our parents had their own tent, and then all the kids were put into one tent.
Liahona: When I first heard (we were going to Hawaii), I was a little frustrated at first because I couldn’t understand why my parents would make us leave (Utah) when we were at such a good point in our lives. We were in a really good school, we were flourishing in our music and in sports. But that experience was so amazing and so great and I will always be thankful (for it).
How has “American Idol” been so far?
Liahona: It has been a really great learning experience for sure because me and my brother are fairly new to this kind of music stuff and social media platforms. It was crazy when the show aired (last month) — our first episode — because we got so many comments from people and so much support, especially from Hawaii. We want to thank Hawaii so much for that, so mahalo nui loa.
What would you like to be doing 10 years from now — 2031?
Ammon: I definitely want to still be creating music. I think the message that me and Lia really want to spread is something really uplifting and really powerful for people of our generation — music that uplifts people, that strengthens them and makes them happy.
Liahona: I would love to be doing that because music is a huge passion for us. And I think Hawaiian culture has a big part to do with that because Hawaiian culture is built around music. Ever since I was a kid I knew I wanted to do something with it. I would love to write music for as long as I can, but in a few years I would love to have a family as well because ohana is important in Hawaiian culture.
