The voting is over, the results have been tallied and the 37th annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards show is less than a week away. As always, the big categories are getting a lot of attention, but the unexpected death of popular guitarist David "Chino" Montero this month and Napua Greig’s unprecedented withdrawal as a finalist for female vocalist of the year have made the run-up to the 2014 awards especially interesting.

Montero, who died of a heart attack May 2, is a finalist for favorite entertainer of the year, the only category in which the winner is determined by public vote rather than by members of the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts or a panel of anonymous adjudicators. It is also the only category in which there are 10 finalists instead of five.

When Montero died, a week after the postmark deadline for the other Hoku categories, public voting for favorite entertainer had two weeks to run. Montero won a Hoku award in 2011 as a member of a six-person group, Amy Hanai­ali‘i and Slack Key Masters of Hawai‘i, but a posthumous win this year for favorite entertainer would be a Hoku he wouldn’t have to share. Chances are a lot of people want him to have it.

Montero is also a finalist for song of the year, a composer’s award, for "Kawena" from his first solo album, "Made in Hawai‘i." Other finalists in the category include new compositions by Kuana Torres Kahele ("E Ku‘u Lei, My Love," from his single with Maila Gibson), Puakea Nogelmeier ("Bumbye," recorded by Kupaoa) and "Lei Maile," by Kalikolihau Hannahs Paik and Mark Yamanaka (from Yamanaka’s album, "Lei Maile"). With competition like that, the favorite-entertainer trophy looks like Montero’s best shot for a final Hoku.

But even that is no slam dunk. Kahele, Kupaoa and Yamanaka are also finalists for favorite entertainer, as are Ikaika Blackburn, Robert Cazimero, The Green, Hulu Lindsey, Sean Na‘auao and Waipuna. That means a lot of deserving artists are in play, and they all have lots of friends and fans.

The big question is whether Montero’s friends, and anyone else in the world who would like to see him win for sentimental reasons, cast a ballot for him.

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

The female vocalist category has been under heightened scrutiny since Greig, a 2-for-2 winner in the category, made the final ballot again this year and then asked the recording academy to remove her album, "Lei Kulaia," from consideration. Observers noted that one of the other finalists is Greig’s mother, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Carmen Hulu Lindsey, and that Lindsey is the only one of the five finalists who is not a Hoku winner. Robi Kahakalau and Mailani Makainai have won female vocalist before, and Anuhea Jenkins has won in other categories.

It was the first time in the history of the Hokus that someone asked to have his or her album removed from a category on the final ballot. With no rule in place prohibiting it, Greig was allowed to withdraw. (She is not entirely out of the running, though; she also is a finalist in the Christmas album category. Lindsey is a finalist in three other categories.)

Greig’s withdrawal opened a spot for the female vocalist who had come in sixth in the voting for finalists, the mono-monickered "acoustic soul" rocker Yoza.

Here’s where it gets even more interesting: While she is certainly a long shot, it would be a real kick in the head if Yoza, the artist who wasn’t even going to be on the ballot, ended up winning the category.

Yoza’s unexpected addition to the female vocalist category also adds pizazz to the contest for most promising artist. A win would be another long shot since fellow nominees Jenkins, Kahakalau and Makainai are proven award winners. But Greig’s withdrawal gives Yoza the opportunity to become the third woman in Hoku history to capture most promising artist and female vocalist in the same year. (Raiatea Helm did it in 2003, and Kainani Kahaunaele in 2004.)

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Kamaka Kukona has a similar chance on the male side. His debut album, "Hanu ‘A‘ala," is a finalist for most promising artist and male vocalist of the year. (Kukona is also a finalist for liner notes and Hawaiian-language performance.)

He would be in distinguished company if he pulls off the "double." Five other men have won most promising artist and male vocalist Hokus in the same year: Audy Kimura (1983), Brickwood Galuteria (1985), Willie K (1992), Keali‘i Reichel (1995) and Mark Yamanaka (2011).

With Blackburn ("Maliu"), Robert Cazimero ("Hula 2"), Kuana Torres Kahele ("Kahele") and Yamanaka ("Lei Maile") as Kukona’s competition for male vocalist of the year, he must be considered a long shot.

GROUP OF THE YEAR

Family competition adds spice to the group of the year competition, with Waipuna (Kale Hannahs, Matt Sproat and David Kamakahi) battling Kupaoa (Hannahs’ sister, Kalikolihau Hannahs Paik, and brother-in-law, Kellen Paik) in that category.

Kupaoa has a total of nine nominations, Waipuna is a finalist in seven categories and both groups have won Hokus in years past, but The Green, KUmZ and Na Leo are the other three finalists and they’re all prior winners, too.