Dear members of the Honolulu Academy of Recording Arts
I am a friend and fan of the local group and first-time Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominee Sing the Body. I am writing this open letter to explain why I feel Sing the Body should perform live at the 35th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards ceremony.
Sing the Body, with their unique sound, immense talent, and energetic live performances, have already made a name for themselves in the local music scene. Over the last year alone, they have generated a huge local following, even on the island of Maui, where they opened for The Airborne Toxic Event at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in January, and will be returning to later this month to open for the Shins. Most recently, they won the local finals round of Hard Rock Cafe's Hard Rock Rising: Global Battle of the Bands. They beat 9 other local bands and have been chosen to represent Hawaii in an international competition against 86 bands all over the world for a chance to perform in London's historic Hyde Park. Through preserverance and passion, Sing the Body has seen their most successful year so far and they deserve recognition for it.
But my reasons for wanting them to perform at the Na Hoku Awards go beyond just being a friend and supporter of the band or a fan of their music. By performing at the ceremony, Sing the Body would be representing something even bigger: the rise of alternative music in Hawaii. Hawaii has had a thriving alternative music scene for decades, but up until recently it has remained mostly underground. Understandably so, when Hawaii's music industry is still dominated by Hawaiian, Island and Reggae music. But through passion, perseverance, and with the support of their communities, Hawaii's alternative artists have emerged into the spotlight, and it has truly been an exciting and revolutionary year for them. Local bands and artists have been hard at work, recording and releasing albums, and playing more and more live events. Popular local publications such as the Honolulu Pulse and Midweek have been giving the scene much more press coverage. March 2012 alone has seen some of the biggest leaps in Hawaii alternative music history. Mountain Apple Recording Company, Hawaii's largest and oldest recording company, released Alternative HI, a compilation CD showcasing 18 local bands and artists, including Sing the Body. Radio station Star 101.9 recently started a weekly show called Unsigned Hawaii, featuring songs from local independent bands. Unsigned Hawaii started only two weeks ago and has already been met with lots of positive feedback.
It is becoming all the more apparent that the future of music in Hawaii is changing, and I personally am very optimistic and excited about it. Local music should be recognized as all music created by the people of Hawaii, and not be synonymous with Hawaiian, Island, or any specific genre of music. As long as the music you create comes from the heart, that Aloha spirit will shine through, whether you play Slack Key, Roots Reggae, or Punk Rock. To me that is what makes Hawaii's music different from music from anywhere else in the world. That being said, this musical revolution that is taking place right here in the islands is something that deserves to be formally recognized. The British Invasion in the 60's, the rise of Grunge in the 90's, and the mainstreaming of Electronic Dance music today are examples of musical trends that became revolutionary and changed the face of music forever, and it's never long before the rest of the world acknowledges and embraces it. Take for example the 2012 Grammy Awards ceremony, which featured a live performance by DJs David Guetta and Deadmau5 alongside rock band Foo Fighters and R&B singer Chris Brown, as a tribute the rise of Electronic Dance Music. Perhaps the recent rise of Alternative music in Hawaii will forever change the way we, not just in Hawaii, but the rest of the world, see local music. I can't see why the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts would not want to pay tribute to something so revolutionary. And I feel that Sing the Body, with their passion, talent, and following would be the best band to represent what is, indeed, a musical revolution in the islands.
Malia Baloyot
Aiea, Hawaii
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