Student art on display at this year’s 101st annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Kamehameha Schools 101st annual Song Contest airs this Friday and student artwork was used for the logo, program and broadcast.

It’s another first for this beloved tradition.

Kamehameha junior Kieren McKee is proud of the art that he and fellow students have created for the event. “Song Contest is about perpetuating our culture and sharing the mele with the rest of the community,” said McKee.

[Read more: For the first time, students to host 101st annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest]

Added high school visual arts kumu Ualani Davis: “The visual arts department partnered with the performing arts department to give students another opportunity around the theme of aloha aina, their relationship to the aina, especially with what’s going on with current Hawaii.”

Right before last yearʻs Song Contest, the pandemic shut everything down after months of rehearsals.

“We had this strong connection to the outdoors and then suddenly we are stuck inside and you can’t talk to other people and be a part of the larger community,” said Davis.

So students will perform the same songs they rehearsed last year. This time with an even greater appreciation of renewal of the land and themselves.

“When the quarantine started and no one could go out then it helped the world reset a little bit and it gave the world a minute to fix itself,” McKee.

This year’s Song Contest wonʻt have awards, but will showcase small group performances and individual voices masterfully edited into a full ensemble.

“We don’t know what it’s going to sound like, but I’m sure it’ll sound pretty good,” said McKee.

The Kamehameha Schools 101st Song Contest is this Friday on K5. The pre-show starts at 6:30 pm and the broadcast begins at 7:30pm.

This year, for the first time ever, you will get to cast a vote for the fan favorite. Ballots open May 7 at 7:30 p.m., and close on May 10 at noon.

For more details, click here.

Copyright 2021 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.