What inspires a musician to blend traditional Hawaiian sounds with modern R&B and reggae? Join host Buzz Knight in this captivating episode of takin' a walk as he interviews the multi-talented singer-songwriter Maoli, whose unique sound is a vibrant reflection of his diverse influences. From the timeless melodies of Bob Marley and John Legend to the storytelling prowess of Garth Brooks, Maoli's musical journey is one of passion and resilience and caring for his community.
As the music interview unfolds, Maoli shares his personal preference for taking walks with his wife, revealing how these moments of tranquility fuel his creativity. Discover how the pandemic in 2019 became a pivotal point in his music career, solidifying his dedication to the craft. With a spiritual approach to songwriting, Maoli discusses how inspiration can strike from various sources—be it a title, a melody, or simply the right vibe.
Dive deeper into the world of music as they explore the concept of 'Desert Island Discs. ' Maoli expresses a heartfelt attachment to his own album, alongside mentions of other beloved artists like Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett. The episode highlights the importance of honesty in collaboration, especially with his producer J-Vibe, as they create an atmosphere of fun and creativity during their studio sessions.
Maoli's commitment to his loyal fan base shines through in his island-inspired music, where the Aloha Spirit plays a significant role. He articulates how this spirit embodies love and giving, resonating with listeners far and wide. As the episode draws to a close, Maoli shares exciting future plans, including launching his own tequila brand and his philanthropic efforts through the Mauling Music Foundation, dedicated to mentoring young musicians in Hawaii.
Whether you're a fan of indie music journeys or classic rock history, this episode of takin' a walk offers rich insights into the life of a legendary musician. Join Buzz Knight as he uncovers the stories behind albums and the creative journeys of talented artists like Maoli. Tune in for a delightful mix of music conversations, songwriting stories, and inspiring music stories that will resonate with every listener. Don't miss out on this engaging episode, part of the iHeart Podcast Network, where music history meets the heart of creativity!
Takin’ A Walk: In-depth music interviews exploring the stories and music history behind the songs
Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taking a Walk. Hi, I'm Buzznight, the host of the
Taking a Walk Podcast. Now today, imagine some scenery, beautiful
scenery with somebody whose music has been the soundtrack to
countless Island sunsets, beach bonfires, and good times with friends.
Joining me today is Maoli, a multi talented singer, songwriter,
(00:21):
and producer who's become one of the most beloved voices
in contemporary Hawaiian and Island reggae music from his breakout
hit No. One to chart toppers like Summertime and Get
You Home Safe. Mioli has some incredible ability to blend
traditional island sounds with modern R and B and reggae
(00:41):
in a way that just hits different. He's got this smooth,
soulful voice that can make you feel like you're sitting
on a beach in Hawaii. We'll talk to Mioli next
on Taking a Walk. Taking a Walk, Ioli, Welcome to
the Taking a Walk Podcast, My friend, Thank you for
having me. Man. Yeah, So we like to ask an
(01:04):
opening question just to kind of get things rolling here.
Since we call this show Taking a Walk, I want
to ask you if you can take a walk with
someone who would you take a walk with my wife.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh yeah, that's that's one I would take a walk
with right.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Now, smart man, where would you go?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Maybe down Broadway?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Broadway in Nashville.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, Broadway in Nashville.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Man, Wow, that's a quiet place, right.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah. I've been up here for the past three weeks
now and uh, we paid a lot of visits to
that Broadway.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So for people who might be discovering your music for
the first time, how do you describe what you do?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
It's a that's a great question. It's just a mixture, man,
of my lifestyle, my culture. You know. I come from Hawaii.
There is you know, we have this island way of living,
you know, and so reggae music is very big there.
But the style of life I live at home is
(02:18):
very country. Like I fell in love with country music
for a long time, you know, and I've been doing
it for a while now. But it's just a mixture
of country and storytelling mixed with the style of reggae music.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
It really makes you feel good. It puts you in
a place where if you're listening to it, it puts
a smile on your face and it takes you to
a place of beauty and relaxation. Is that intended, that
is intended. Yes, well you nail that every time for sure.
(02:55):
So take me back to the beginning. When did you
first know music was going to be you path in
your life? Was there a specific.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Moment It was more like an on and off thing
where at one point of my life I was like, yes,
this is what I want to do, and then another
point of my life maybe I should pursue something else.
But actually wasn't until I would say two thousand and nineteen,
(03:24):
like around the pandemic time. That's what I knew. It
was like, yeah, this is going to be something pretty big,
you know, and I knew that I have to pursue
this is my calling.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And tell me about these influences. There's a vast group
of influences, I believe, people like Bob Marley and John Legend,
Stevie Wonder are there are there more?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Oh yeah, that is course on and on man, the
Bob Marty, Peter Tosh touts in the maytows that when
it comes to the reggae side and the soul side,
man like Gard Brookes, George Straight you know those are
Alan Jackson, those are huge influences on this music. Kenny
Chesney you know, it was cool too. I just I
(04:15):
just went to the CMA's last night for the first
time and I got to watch finally got to watch
Kenny Chesney perform. George Strait was there and it was
it was crazy. But those are huge influences on my
music for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And walk us through your creative process, especially with your
with your new music, but in general, when you're writing
a song, where does it usually start? Is it a
melody first? Is it a bead? A lyric? Is it
a vibe? Take us behind the scenes.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It's it's multiple things. Man. Sometimes I'll just have a
title in my head and I kind of work off that.
Sometimes it's a melody, just a melody. But when the
process of writing, I just don't like to get in
the way of it because for me, it's spiritual. You know,
you just have to be at the right place, the
right time and just download what for me is like
(05:08):
God says, hey, this is your song, and just accept it,
you know, and it kind of just flows. And I
don't know how to explain it, but it's it's it's
a very spiritual thing for me. So it's a it's
it's just a wonderful thing. To have happened, you know,
and I just kind of let it be. So it
could be the melody, it could be the title, it
could be whatever inspires me at the time. Sometimes it's
(05:30):
just the music and I'll just kind of flow off
of that. But yeah, that's really what it is. Man.
I just I step aside and I let music do
its thing.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
So since your music takes us to at least takes
me and the audience to like an island sort of feeling,
you know, the concept of a desert island disc if
you were stuck on an island and you had, Yeah,
what would your desert a desert island disc? P?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
What island would I want to be on?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
No? What which album desert island disc album would you
have to have with you to get you through that?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
As far as mine goes, I would have to see
my MMO album. Yeah, that one, that one has all
the island feels on it. That was pretty much our
most successful album so far, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, I like that so far. And is there is
there a desert island disc from another artist that you
would have to bring with you? Or is that an
impossible question like the taking a walk question?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yeah, that's a hard one, man, that's a real hard one.
I know. Probably Kenny would have to be up there,
Jimmy Buffett would have to be up there, Bob Marley
and I don't know, man, I can't do that's a
hard ONOK.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
I know. I'm sorry. Don't think less of me for
asking such a difficult question. So you produced a lot
of your own music too, Now, how does this work
for you? Having two hats artist and producer? Does it
change your approach to a song?
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Sometimes? Yeah, But I've been working a lot lately with
this producer, j Vibe. He's based out of Miami. He's
been helping me a lot lately with the creative side
of the music. But I wouldn't take credit for that.
I would, I would. I would have to say that
(07:29):
Javibe has a lot to do with it, you know.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
And uh, yeah, that's a pretty that's a pretty cool name.
I mean, Myoli is a pretty cool name. But Jay Vibe, God,
that says everything right there.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Him and yeah, me and him have been doing it
for a while now, since a little bit before the pandemic,
and it's been working out great. So, you know, I
don't want to fix something that's not broken.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
How does he make you a better artist?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
H I would have to say is honesty. He's very
honest with me. Is not too much people are driving
the studio with them, they're just like, hey, you need
to redo that line, you know. But he's one of
those people where are here, you know? And I and
I'm I'm a person that could take constructive criticism. So
(08:20):
I would have to say that it's his his honesty
and our friendship. That's that's the key to having this
type of success or whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And if I walked into you guys in a studio session,
what would the overall vibe be? I mean, is there
is there, uh you know, some some laughter that's going on?
Is it a complete intensity? Is it a balance? What's
what would I sense when I walked in?
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Oh Man, to be completely honest, there's a lot of
laughter going on, a lot of jokes. It'll get serious,
and uh, there's there's kind of a lot of drinking
going on.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
What's the the drink of choice.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I'm a tequila guy. I gotta have I'll just sip
on that the whole time. And uh, it's funny because
sometimes we'll, you know, we'll hit something where the song
feels amazing and let's getting on the shop there. I
got it. I love it. It's just a fun process.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Man, Is there a time of day that you feel
most creative?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
I would say, nah, manybe the morning, like the afternoon time.
You know, I'm not really like a late night studio
guy like I like, I like to work in the
morning to like late afternoon, like a nine to five almost.
That's what I love about Nashville, Like Nashville is like
cockwork here, Like everybody wakes up in the morning nine o'clock,
(09:54):
leaves the studio five and it's like big clock eight
clock out. I love that stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
But so let's talk about the new music and how
it all unfolded. So tell us about it and tell
us what the process was like in terms of creating
it with Jay Vibe and the rest of your crew.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah. Well, the last country album I did last EP
A summer the country version of it. I linked up
with the producer Dan Huff, who's a phenomenal for producer man,
really really good. I was blessed to be working with
that man. Him and his brother David Huff. They found
me at a show that I was doing in Nashville,
(10:35):
and they came. They came to the show and just
you know, kind of introduced themselves and I kind of
knew immediately, like I think, these are the guys I
really want to work with when it comes to that
country side, you know. And it wasn't too late. Wasn't
that much after I would say, maybe like six six
months maybe we ended up coming. I flew up to Nashville.
(10:56):
We started working with them for the first time too.
I never did this before, but it's kind of like
the way they record up here, where they'll get a
bunch of the musicians. I'm so used to, like, you know,
I'll work out an idea and send it to my
my producer, and my producer sends me something back. But
with this one, I was like, I'm actually in the
room with all of the musicians and they're so great
(11:19):
that they that they can just one take, you know.
And I was a little intimidated in the beginning because
it was like a new thing for me. But after
a while they made me so, you know, I was
super comfortable after after I got to know everybody. But
that was that was a fun experience. I never recorded
that way before in my life and then what we
did with that was but that was more country style.
(11:41):
And then from there I brought in my producer J Vibe,
who is really good at that that reggae solum, and
we just now you got Dan Huff, one of the
legends of country working with J Vibe, who is one
of the legends in reggae music. That sound. That was
the last album that I just did, the Island Vibes.
That's what you hear. So it's the writing, the storytelling
(12:04):
of country music, the guitars of country music mixed with
the foundation of drum and bass when reggae music, and
that's kind of what you get right there, you know.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
I might you must have multiple, if not all, favorite
tracks off of it, and tout a few of them
that really pop to the top for you.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
I would say, uh damn good Night and uh Last
of the Summer. I mean I would say those two.
Those two really it on me.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Oh, I love that was my favorite.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah, And I usually don't say that because I'm like,
every one of them is my favorite. Of course.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Yeah, of course, how do you think your sounds has
evolved with these with these new tracks? I know you're
experimenting all the time.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, that just comes with time and experience and life.
You know. Like I'm always trying to grow as an artist,
you know, and then try new things. And I don't
want to go too far off, but you know, because
I do have a great core fan base that wants
to hear the style that I do. But yeah, I'm
always constantly growing and trying to just get better every day.
(13:16):
That's kind of just what I've been doing, you know,
just evolving.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And you mentioned the loyal fan base. What do you
think with that loyal fan base is about your music
that resonates so deeply and personally with people.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I think it's because we're very similar, you know. I
always say that the reason you like the songs and
the music is because it's really a reflection of who
you are. That's I think they just resonate with you know,
as an artist, I'm just being me, you know, I'm
just doing what I do and and and I think
there's a huge fan base that, you know, that just
(13:57):
loves that style and the way I live life, the
way the things I talk about in the songs, the
way it moves you, the way and a lot of
these people are island people. You know, like that's why
we'll go to New Zealand and so thousands of tickets
there and Fiji and Tahiti. I think it just has
this island vibe to it where island people are just
(14:19):
drawn to it, you know. And it's been doing really
well then.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
And it's the concept of I love it. Aloha spirit,
a love spirit, that's right. I love that. It's how
do you carry it beyond your music in everyday life?
The aloha spirit?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
It's something that to me, it's like you just have it, man,
It's it's a way of life back home, you know,
we as I'm Hawaiian and back home, it's like it's
just it's it's a way to love, you know. And uh,
you it's hard to get it anywhere else in the world.
It's it's it's it's really a just a place of
(15:00):
giving and and and and just love, you know. And
that's uh, it's just instilled in me from the day
I was born.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I mean, we need a low house spirit more now
than ever.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
More now than ever. That's why I believe in this. Man.
I'm like people I feel need to need to hear
these types of of vibes because you know, it's it's
it's it's very uplifting, it's very you know, it brings
you to a great place and you can't get mad
listen to it.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
You know. So when you're traveling and performing, how are
you able to stay grounded? Because there's it's not an
easy life, it's not.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Mine at all. Well, i'd have to say prayer, a
lot of prayer. And you know I travel with my
wife too, so she helps me a lot, you know,
So I would see that man just just being rooted man,
a lot of prayer and and and a loving wife.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
That's why when I asked you to take in a
walk question, you'd be very smart about it. And you said, well,
I think it's my wife. I like that a lot.
What's your wife's name?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Mercedes?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Mercedes? If you're listening, your man did the right thing.
What's something most people don't know about you that they
might be surprised to learn.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I love popcorn and Disney movies.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Yea, I love that. What kind of popcorn?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Oh? Any kind? Man? The micro alievable ones, easy stuff.
You can't be the movie theater.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Yeah, but some people get all bollocked up with you know,
caramel popcorn that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Yeah, I'm a just a butter guy.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah, the real deal.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, you put the butter on that, and I'm just
munching for these.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
So beyond your new music, what else are you excited
about right now? And obviously tours play into that, but
are there other projects or goals on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah? Right now, I'm working on a tequila that hopefully
I can get launched next year. But I'm really I'm
really excited about that. That's my my side project that
I've been working on outside of the music, you know, Yes, yeah,
because I love Tequille Man.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
That's I think it's part of the creative process, right, Yeah,
that's right. Do you have a name for it, a
Limo vai.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, it's it's it's a It means five five waters,
five holy waters.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I absolutely love that. That is so cool. What are
some of your favorite types of venues to play at mine?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
I would say like, I kind of like when they're
like close to you, you know, when I do like
the bigger ones, they're like, you know, it's kind of
far away from me. I don't get to really like
interact with them and feel them, but I try my best,
But I really like the venues where they're like right
up close, you know, I can feel their energy literally well.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
And they could feel yours. Yeah, and you have a
contagious spirit about you. You have this joy that you radiate,
you know, So the closer the better, you.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Know, absolutely, Yeah, I like that the best.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
What causes and charities are important to you.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
I actually have a foundation too, a nonprofit called Modeling
Music Foundation, and I'm trying to just work with you know,
kids where they didn't because there's a lot of talented
singers where I'm from, a lot of talented musicians, but
they just don't have the proper guidance to to you know,
(19:10):
get them, get them through. And I've been fortunate enough
to really see this industry and and be around some
really really talented and great businessmen, very smart businessmen, and
I kind of want to just get that to my home,
you know. And and because there's just no place to
go for that type of information that you just can't
(19:32):
get it anywhere. And I'm that that's one of the
my foundation is what I'm you know, I'm really leaning
forward too, is because I think that's important. If I
if I look back on my younger years, if I
had a mentor or you know, somebody that just guide me,
I wouldn't have to make as much mistakes that I
made that I had maken through these years. So I yeah,
(19:54):
I think my foundation is the what I'm really leaning towards.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
What would you tell your younger self if you could
in retrospect? What advice would you give your younger self?
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Be patient? You know, really it's like a mixture of
you know, follow your heart, but be patient and remember
that this too shall pass. You know, there's a lot
of there's a lot of walls that I've hid in
my life in and I'm glad that I pushed through,
(20:31):
but man, there was times where I went through some panics.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
So in closing, is there the best advice now as
somebody who's been at it and working hard that somebody
has given you about music or life or creativity that
really made a tremendous impact on you.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
That's made an impact on me as far as.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Advice, Yeah, and your life, and there's there's.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
There's several you know, there was an artists named Fiji
back where I'm from, and he's like the pioneer of
of our music, of my music, and he was a
big brother to me, and he passed away this year,
but he was the one who would be, you know,
telling me to be patient, to understand that this is
(21:25):
in timing. God's timing is where you want to be.
You know, you want to force too much things. You know.
He would always you know, just miss a dude that
crazy I'm thinking about him, you know, But yeah, he
would give me just that type of advice where you know,
like be careful who you surround yourself with, and and
and just stuff for like even the creative side. I
(21:48):
would I would get into like I would have my
writer's block. And he was an amazing writer, and he's like,
you just have to learn how to use everything around you.
All of all the things that you see, you feel,
your touch, you can use them all in your ears.
And I was like, I sat down there. It just
clicked for me and I've never gotten a writer's block
after that, just by using everything around me. I'm like, oh,
(22:10):
so I can use the light and the flowers and
I just put him here anyway, But yeah, he would
be the guy that has given me a lot of
advice in my career.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Well enjoy your walk with Mercedesily and thank you for
everything that you are giving us, your tremendous Aloha spirit
and your amazing music. It's an honor, Mioli to have
you on the Taking a Walk Podcast. My friend, would
you come on another time?
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Absolutely, You're always You're always welcome.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Thank you, I appreciate you. Man. Thanks for listening to
this episode of the Taking a Walk Podcast.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow
us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk
is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever
you get your podcasts.
Taking a Walk. Hi, I'm Buzznight, the host of the
Taking a Walk Podcast. Now today, imagine some scenery, beautiful
scenery with somebody whose music has been the soundtrack to
countless Island sunsets, beach bonfires, and good times with friends.
Joining me today is Maoli, a multi talented singer, songwriter,
(00:21):
and producer who's become one of the most beloved voices
in contemporary Hawaiian and Island reggae music from his breakout
hit No. One to chart toppers like Summertime and Get
You Home Safe. Mioli has some incredible ability to blend
traditional island sounds with modern R and B and reggae
(00:41):
in a way that just hits different. He's got this smooth,
soulful voice that can make you feel like you're sitting
on a beach in Hawaii. We'll talk to Mioli next
on Taking a Walk. Taking a Walk, Ioli, Welcome to
the Taking a Walk Podcast, My friend, Thank you for
having me. Man. Yeah, So we like to ask an
(01:04):
opening question just to kind of get things rolling here.
Since we call this show Taking a Walk, I want
to ask you if you can take a walk with
someone who would you take a walk with my wife.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Oh yeah, that's that's one I would take a walk
with right.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Now, smart man, where would you go?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Maybe down Broadway?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Broadway in Nashville.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yeah, Broadway in Nashville.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Man, Wow, that's a quiet place, right.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah. I've been up here for the past three weeks
now and uh, we paid a lot of visits to
that Broadway.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So for people who might be discovering your music for
the first time, how do you describe what you do?
Speaker 2 (01:57):
It's a that's a great question. It's just a mixture, man,
of my lifestyle, my culture. You know. I come from Hawaii.
There is you know, we have this island way of living,
you know, and so reggae music is very big there.
But the style of life I live at home is
(02:18):
very country. Like I fell in love with country music
for a long time, you know, and I've been doing
it for a while now. But it's just a mixture
of country and storytelling mixed with the style of reggae music.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
It really makes you feel good. It puts you in
a place where if you're listening to it, it puts
a smile on your face and it takes you to
a place of beauty and relaxation. Is that intended, that
is intended. Yes, well you nail that every time for sure.
(02:55):
So take me back to the beginning. When did you
first know music was going to be you path in
your life? Was there a specific.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Moment It was more like an on and off thing
where at one point of my life I was like, yes,
this is what I want to do, and then another
point of my life maybe I should pursue something else.
But actually wasn't until I would say two thousand and nineteen,
(03:24):
like around the pandemic time. That's what I knew. It
was like, yeah, this is going to be something pretty big,
you know, and I knew that I have to pursue
this is my calling.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
And tell me about these influences. There's a vast group
of influences, I believe, people like Bob Marley and John Legend,
Stevie Wonder are there are there more?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Oh yeah, that is course on and on man, the
Bob Marty, Peter Tosh touts in the maytows that when
it comes to the reggae side and the soul side,
man like Gard Brookes, George Straight you know those are
Alan Jackson, those are huge influences on this music. Kenny
Chesney you know, it was cool too. I just I
(04:15):
just went to the CMA's last night for the first
time and I got to watch finally got to watch
Kenny Chesney perform. George Strait was there and it was
it was crazy. But those are huge influences on my
music for sure.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And walk us through your creative process, especially with your
with your new music, but in general, when you're writing
a song, where does it usually start? Is it a
melody first? Is it a bead? A lyric? Is it
a vibe? Take us behind the scenes.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
It's it's multiple things. Man. Sometimes I'll just have a
title in my head and I kind of work off that.
Sometimes it's a melody, just a melody. But when the
process of writing, I just don't like to get in
the way of it because for me, it's spiritual. You know,
you just have to be at the right place, the
right time and just download what for me is like
(05:08):
God says, hey, this is your song, and just accept it,
you know, and it kind of just flows. And I
don't know how to explain it, but it's it's it's
a very spiritual thing for me. So it's a it's
it's just a wonderful thing. To have happened, you know,
and I just kind of let it be. So it
could be the melody, it could be the title, it
could be whatever inspires me at the time. Sometimes it's
(05:30):
just the music and I'll just kind of flow off
of that. But yeah, that's really what it is. Man.
I just I step aside and I let music do
its thing.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
So since your music takes us to at least takes
me and the audience to like an island sort of feeling,
you know, the concept of a desert island disc if
you were stuck on an island and you had, Yeah,
what would your desert a desert island disc? P?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
What island would I want to be on?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
No? What which album desert island disc album would you
have to have with you to get you through that?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
As far as mine goes, I would have to see
my MMO album. Yeah, that one, that one has all
the island feels on it. That was pretty much our
most successful album so far, you know.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, I like that so far. And is there is
there a desert island disc from another artist that you
would have to bring with you? Or is that an
impossible question like the taking a walk question?
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Yeah, that's a hard one, man, that's a real hard one.
I know. Probably Kenny would have to be up there,
Jimmy Buffett would have to be up there, Bob Marley
and I don't know, man, I can't do that's a
hard ONOK.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
I know. I'm sorry. Don't think less of me for
asking such a difficult question. So you produced a lot
of your own music too, Now, how does this work
for you? Having two hats artist and producer? Does it
change your approach to a song?
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Sometimes? Yeah, But I've been working a lot lately with
this producer, j Vibe. He's based out of Miami. He's
been helping me a lot lately with the creative side
of the music. But I wouldn't take credit for that.
I would, I would. I would have to say that
(07:29):
Javibe has a lot to do with it, you know.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
And uh, yeah, that's a pretty that's a pretty cool name.
I mean, Myoli is a pretty cool name. But Jay Vibe, God,
that says everything right there.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Him and yeah, me and him have been doing it
for a while now, since a little bit before the pandemic,
and it's been working out great. So, you know, I
don't want to fix something that's not broken.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
How does he make you a better artist?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
H I would have to say is honesty. He's very
honest with me. Is not too much people are driving
the studio with them, they're just like, hey, you need
to redo that line, you know. But he's one of
those people where are here, you know? And I and
I'm I'm a person that could take constructive criticism. So
(08:20):
I would have to say that it's his his honesty
and our friendship. That's that's the key to having this
type of success or whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And if I walked into you guys in a studio session,
what would the overall vibe be? I mean, is there
is there, uh you know, some some laughter that's going on?
Is it a complete intensity? Is it a balance? What's
what would I sense when I walked in?
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Oh Man, to be completely honest, there's a lot of
laughter going on, a lot of jokes. It'll get serious,
and uh, there's there's kind of a lot of drinking
going on.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
What's the the drink of choice.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I'm a tequila guy. I gotta have I'll just sip
on that the whole time. And uh, it's funny because
sometimes we'll, you know, we'll hit something where the song
feels amazing and let's getting on the shop there. I
got it. I love it. It's just a fun process.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Man, Is there a time of day that you feel
most creative?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
I would say, nah, manybe the morning, like the afternoon time.
You know, I'm not really like a late night studio
guy like I like, I like to work in the
morning to like late afternoon, like a nine to five almost.
That's what I love about Nashville, Like Nashville is like
cockwork here, Like everybody wakes up in the morning nine o'clock,
(09:54):
leaves the studio five and it's like big clock eight
clock out. I love that stuff.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
But so let's talk about the new music and how
it all unfolded. So tell us about it and tell
us what the process was like in terms of creating
it with Jay Vibe and the rest of your crew.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah. Well, the last country album I did last EP
A summer the country version of it. I linked up
with the producer Dan Huff, who's a phenomenal for producer man,
really really good. I was blessed to be working with
that man. Him and his brother David Huff. They found
me at a show that I was doing in Nashville,
(10:35):
and they came. They came to the show and just
you know, kind of introduced themselves and I kind of
knew immediately, like I think, these are the guys I
really want to work with when it comes to that
country side, you know. And it wasn't too late. Wasn't
that much after I would say, maybe like six six
months maybe we ended up coming. I flew up to Nashville.
(10:56):
We started working with them for the first time too.
I never did this before, but it's kind of like
the way they record up here, where they'll get a
bunch of the musicians. I'm so used to, like, you know,
I'll work out an idea and send it to my
my producer, and my producer sends me something back. But
with this one, I was like, I'm actually in the
room with all of the musicians and they're so great
(11:19):
that they that they can just one take, you know.
And I was a little intimidated in the beginning because
it was like a new thing for me. But after
a while they made me so, you know, I was
super comfortable after after I got to know everybody. But
that was that was a fun experience. I never recorded
that way before in my life and then what we
did with that was but that was more country style.
(11:41):
And then from there I brought in my producer J Vibe,
who is really good at that that reggae solum, and
we just now you got Dan Huff, one of the
legends of country working with J Vibe, who is one
of the legends in reggae music. That sound. That was
the last album that I just did, the Island Vibes.
That's what you hear. So it's the writing, the storytelling
(12:04):
of country music, the guitars of country music mixed with
the foundation of drum and bass when reggae music, and
that's kind of what you get right there, you know.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
I might you must have multiple, if not all, favorite
tracks off of it, and tout a few of them
that really pop to the top for you.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
I would say, uh damn good Night and uh Last
of the Summer. I mean I would say those two.
Those two really it on me.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
Oh, I love that was my favorite.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Yeah, And I usually don't say that because I'm like,
every one of them is my favorite. Of course.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Yeah, of course, how do you think your sounds has
evolved with these with these new tracks? I know you're
experimenting all the time.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Yeah, that just comes with time and experience and life.
You know. Like I'm always trying to grow as an artist,
you know, and then try new things. And I don't
want to go too far off, but you know, because
I do have a great core fan base that wants
to hear the style that I do. But yeah, I'm
always constantly growing and trying to just get better every day.
(13:16):
That's kind of just what I've been doing, you know,
just evolving.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
And you mentioned the loyal fan base. What do you
think with that loyal fan base is about your music
that resonates so deeply and personally with people.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
I think it's because we're very similar, you know. I
always say that the reason you like the songs and
the music is because it's really a reflection of who
you are. That's I think they just resonate with you know,
as an artist, I'm just being me, you know, I'm
just doing what I do and and and I think
there's a huge fan base that, you know, that just
(13:57):
loves that style and the way I live life, the
way the things I talk about in the songs, the
way it moves you, the way and a lot of
these people are island people. You know, like that's why
we'll go to New Zealand and so thousands of tickets
there and Fiji and Tahiti. I think it just has
this island vibe to it where island people are just
(14:19):
drawn to it, you know. And it's been doing really
well then.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
And it's the concept of I love it. Aloha spirit,
a love spirit, that's right. I love that. It's how
do you carry it beyond your music in everyday life?
The aloha spirit?
Speaker 2 (14:37):
It's something that to me, it's like you just have it, man,
It's it's a way of life back home, you know,
we as I'm Hawaiian and back home, it's like it's
just it's it's a way to love, you know. And uh,
you it's hard to get it anywhere else in the world.
It's it's it's it's really a just a place of
(15:00):
giving and and and and just love, you know. And
that's uh, it's just instilled in me from the day
I was born.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
I mean, we need a low house spirit more now
than ever.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
More now than ever. That's why I believe in this. Man.
I'm like people I feel need to need to hear
these types of of vibes because you know, it's it's
it's it's very uplifting, it's very you know, it brings
you to a great place and you can't get mad
listen to it.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
You know. So when you're traveling and performing, how are
you able to stay grounded? Because there's it's not an
easy life, it's not.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Mine at all. Well, i'd have to say prayer, a
lot of prayer. And you know I travel with my
wife too, so she helps me a lot, you know,
So I would see that man just just being rooted man,
a lot of prayer and and and a loving wife.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
That's why when I asked you to take in a
walk question, you'd be very smart about it. And you said, well,
I think it's my wife. I like that a lot.
What's your wife's name?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Mercedes?
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Mercedes? If you're listening, your man did the right thing.
What's something most people don't know about you that they
might be surprised to learn.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I love popcorn and Disney movies.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Yea, I love that. What kind of popcorn?
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Oh? Any kind? Man? The micro alievable ones, easy stuff.
You can't be the movie theater.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Yeah, but some people get all bollocked up with you know,
caramel popcorn that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Yeah, I'm a just a butter guy.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
Yeah, the real deal.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, you put the butter on that, and I'm just
munching for these.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
So beyond your new music, what else are you excited
about right now? And obviously tours play into that, but
are there other projects or goals on the horizon.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Yeah? Right now, I'm working on a tequila that hopefully
I can get launched next year. But I'm really I'm
really excited about that. That's my my side project that
I've been working on outside of the music, you know, Yes, yeah,
because I love Tequille Man.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
That's I think it's part of the creative process, right, Yeah,
that's right. Do you have a name for it, a
Limo vai.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Yeah, it's it's it's a It means five five waters,
five holy waters.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
I absolutely love that. That is so cool. What are
some of your favorite types of venues to play at mine?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
I would say like, I kind of like when they're
like close to you, you know, when I do like
the bigger ones, they're like, you know, it's kind of
far away from me. I don't get to really like
interact with them and feel them, but I try my best,
But I really like the venues where they're like right
up close, you know, I can feel their energy literally well.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
And they could feel yours. Yeah, and you have a
contagious spirit about you. You have this joy that you radiate,
you know, So the closer the better, you.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Know, absolutely, Yeah, I like that the best.
Speaker 1 (18:42):
What causes and charities are important to you.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
I actually have a foundation too, a nonprofit called Modeling
Music Foundation, and I'm trying to just work with you know,
kids where they didn't because there's a lot of talented
singers where I'm from, a lot of talented musicians, but
they just don't have the proper guidance to to you know,
(19:10):
get them, get them through. And I've been fortunate enough
to really see this industry and and be around some
really really talented and great businessmen, very smart businessmen, and
I kind of want to just get that to my home,
you know. And and because there's just no place to
go for that type of information that you just can't
(19:32):
get it anywhere. And I'm that that's one of the
my foundation is what I'm you know, I'm really leaning
forward too, is because I think that's important. If I
if I look back on my younger years, if I
had a mentor or you know, somebody that just guide me,
I wouldn't have to make as much mistakes that I
made that I had maken through these years. So I yeah,
(19:54):
I think my foundation is the what I'm really leaning towards.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
What would you tell your younger self if you could
in retrospect? What advice would you give your younger self?
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Be patient? You know, really it's like a mixture of
you know, follow your heart, but be patient and remember
that this too shall pass. You know, there's a lot
of there's a lot of walls that I've hid in
my life in and I'm glad that I pushed through,
(20:31):
but man, there was times where I went through some panics.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
So in closing, is there the best advice now as
somebody who's been at it and working hard that somebody
has given you about music or life or creativity that
really made a tremendous impact on you.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
That's made an impact on me as far as.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Advice, Yeah, and your life, and there's there's.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
There's several you know, there was an artists named Fiji
back where I'm from, and he's like the pioneer of
of our music, of my music, and he was a
big brother to me, and he passed away this year,
but he was the one who would be, you know,
telling me to be patient, to understand that this is
(21:25):
in timing. God's timing is where you want to be.
You know, you want to force too much things. You know.
He would always you know, just miss a dude that
crazy I'm thinking about him, you know, But yeah, he
would give me just that type of advice where you know,
like be careful who you surround yourself with, and and
and just stuff for like even the creative side. I
(21:48):
would I would get into like I would have my
writer's block. And he was an amazing writer, and he's like,
you just have to learn how to use everything around you.
All of all the things that you see, you feel,
your touch, you can use them all in your ears.
And I was like, I sat down there. It just
clicked for me and I've never gotten a writer's block
after that, just by using everything around me. I'm like, oh,
(22:10):
so I can use the light and the flowers and
I just put him here anyway, But yeah, he would
be the guy that has given me a lot of
advice in my career.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Well enjoy your walk with Mercedesily and thank you for
everything that you are giving us, your tremendous Aloha spirit
and your amazing music. It's an honor, Mioli to have
you on the Taking a Walk Podcast. My friend, would
you come on another time?
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Absolutely, You're always You're always welcome.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Thank you, I appreciate you. Man. Thanks for listening to
this episode of the Taking a Walk Podcast.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Share this and other episodes with your friends and follow
us so you never miss an episode. Taking a Walk
is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever
you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.