Mark Keali'I Ho'Omalu

Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu is a strong point in the otherwise largely overlooked field of traditional hula chanting. His early work consisted of local hula and Polynesian shows around his home island, eventually moving up the ranks in another hula halau (school), gaining a good deal of experience in traditional chanting. Within a few years, he was teaching at a halau in San Francisco under Tiare Clifford, taking over a nearby halau in Oakland ten years later, which became a major contender in the worldwide hula competitions. In 1999 Ho'omalu released his first album, Po'okela Chants, which featured a synthesis of the ancient hula chant with more modern sensibilities here and there. This album led to work with Disney, which commissioned him for a pair of songs for the Lilo and Stitch soundtrack, which met with acclaim thanks to his signature sound, being far from the stereotypical Hawaiian sound. This success led to the disbanding of his halau in 2002, as well as his second solo album, Call It What You Like, in 2003. He has become a prime mover in the traditional Hawaiian scene, reviving the ancient forms with only the slightest touches of modern music.