When Kelly “Kelly Boy” De Lima, lead vocalist of the group Kapena, became a father early in 1988 he named his son Kapena. When young Kapena chose drum lessons over playing football, the boy found his life’s calling. Kapena De Lima grew up working with his father as a duo separate from the group. He mastered other instruments along the way; sat in on keyboards with the entire Kapena group at the 2000 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, and eventually became an official member.
De Lima took a break in 2006 to study recording engineering at Expression College in Emeryville, Calif. He returned to Hawaii in 2009, rejoined the group, and embarked on a parallel career as a recording studio engineer, record producer and solo recording artist.
Kapena De Lima, 32, reveals an entirely different side of his repertoire with his second solo album, “Island Beyond the Stars,” a collection of original songs written and sung in the style of the hapa haole music of the 1930s. It is currently available online and as a 500-unit, limited-edition 33-1/3 rpm vinyl album, but will soon be released on CD. Visit buprintstudio.com. To order a CD or the limited-edition vinyl album, email buprintstudio@gmail.com.
Some of the group Kapena’s biggest hits were remakes of reggae classics such as “Red Red Wine” and “Whatcha Talking ‘Bout.” I don’t think anyone who didn’t know it was you would hear these songs and say “That’s Kapena De Lima.”
Yes, everybody was definitely not expecting this project, but this music, this style, this genre, this melody, is my joy. A lot of people don’t know that I am a huge fan of Exotica music and Martin Denny. My favorite male vocalist is Alfred Apaka. This album was born out of my search for vintage Hawaiian music, but I didn’t want to search any more, I just wanted to make my own. This is me writing melodies that are deep inside of my soul.
I’m sure a lot of inquiring minds want to know what inspired you to write a song about a man who’s in love with his mother-in-law. Where did that come from?
To be honest with you, I have no idea, but it is absolutely comedy, fictional, and meant to be hilarious. About half my friends have asked, “What does your wife think about that?” and the others are laughing so hard that they can’t talk. When my parents heard it my dad was laughing, (but) my mom wouldn’t talk to me for the rest of the day.
More and more recording projects are being released as download-only. Why do vinyl?
The whole idea behind the vinyl would be that if you want something tangible why not a nice big vinyl (record)? And just because of the style of the way that the album is themed in a more ancient setting era-wise, I thought it fit the vinyl.
Looking to the future, your father plays music and you play music. What about your children?
They both play music. My son, Kapena Uriah is 8, and plays drums with us every once in a while. My daughter, Psalms, is 7 — she sings, and she’s a dancer too.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Music is such a part of our lives that even if we’re not getting paid we’re sitting around singing at home. You can call it “working” but we enjoy what we do.
What’s the first thing you want to do when this is over?
I want to go jump on my piano at the Moana (Surfrider hotel) and sing for a couple of folks. Being able to perform with an audience again, to watch people enjoying what we do in person. There’s nothing like making someone smile in real life.
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READ MORE:
>> Review: ‘Island Beyond the Stars’ is a love note to hapa haole music
