Kuana Torres Kahele (born September 7, 1978) is an American musician, vocalist, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and educator from Hilo, Hawaii. Known primarily for his original acoustic compositions, Kahele arranges traditional Hawaiian music as well, performing and recording with instruments such as ukulele, guitar, ipu, and bass. The majority of his lyrics are written and performed in the Hawaiian language. After learning kane dancing and mele writing in his teens, in 1995 Kahele co-founded Na Palapalai, a Hawaiian music group that has released seven albums. Several have charted in the top five on the Billboard Top World Albums chart, and the group has won a large number of Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, including Group of the Year.
