Kolohe Kai
Hawaiian island-reggae group led by singer-songwriter Roman De Peralta.
Type
Band / group
Active
active since 2009
Genre
Island reggae, reggae fusion
Based
Oʻahu
Biography
Kolohe Kai is a Hawaiian reggae-pop group formed in 2009 by singer-songwriter Roman De Peralta, who was born and raised on Oʻahu. The project grew out of De Peralta's songwriting, and the debut album under the Kolohe Kai name, This Is the Life, arrived in 2009 while he was still a teenager. De Peralta has said the name pairs the Hawaiian words 'kolohe' (rascal, a childhood family nickname) and 'kai' (sea or saltwater).
Musically, the group blends the ʻukulele-driven sound of local Hawaiian music with roots-reggae rhythms, and later material has moved toward pop textures. De Peralta writes and fronts the group, whose performing lineup has included Jasmine Moikeha on vocals, Kolomona Ku on keyboard and saxophone, Luke Daddario on drums, Imua Garza on guitar, and Kahale Morales on bass. Singles such as 'This Is the Life,' 'Cool Down,' and 'Ehu Girl' became staples of the island-reggae scene.
Across the 2010s and 2020s the group released a run of studio albums, including Love Town (2011), Paradise (2014), Summer to Winter (2019), Hazel Eyes (2022), and What Aloha Means (2025). Paradise reached No. 3 on Billboard's Reggae Albums chart and won Reggae Album of the Year at the Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards, Hawaii's leading music honors; Summer to Winter later debuted at No. 1 on the same chart. The group continues to tour and record.
Notable work
- This Is the Life (2009)
- Love Town (2011)
- Paradise (2014)
- Summer to Winter (2019)
- Ehu Girl
- Cool Down
Recognition
- Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award — Reggae Album of the Year, Paradise
Members
Roman De Peralta (lead vocals, founder, songwriter) · Jasmine Moikeha (vocals) · Kolomona Ku (keyboard, saxophone) · Luke Daddario (drums) · Imua Garza (guitar) · Kahale Morales (bass)
Upcoming Kolohe Kai shows
No Kolohe Kai shows on the calendar right now.
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Related artists
Photos: Jester Jay Goldman (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Sue Kastle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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