Sakura

Mahalo nui loa Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts and to HARA voters for your time and consideration!

2023 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards Eligible Categories:

Hawaiian Single of the Year, Hawaiian Music Video of the Year, Haku Mele, Song of the Year

Steven Espaniola’s new single "Sakura"

was released on February 4, 2022 on all major digital and streaming music platforms including iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora & iHeart.

The entire project was an absolute labor of love from start to finish which began as a heartfelt poem gifted by Steven’s dear friend and longtime songwriting collaborator from Pakala, Kaua’i Puni Patrick. Puni presented the makana to Steven and his wife April during their visit to Kaua’i in 2016. The poem’s imagery compares their late son Phoenix Kahanu Espaniola to the beauty of the fleeting Sakura flower. Upon initially reading his friend’s beautiful words, a haunting melody began to swell from within and Steven felt compelled to immediately arrange it into a song. The mele was recorded by multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano and GRAMMY® Award winning Producer Dave Tucciarone in Hawai’i and mastered by GRAMMY® Award winning Mastering Engineer John Golden in Ventura, CA. Steven’s good friend Kris Kanoho (One Groove) helped to finish recording the song in the middle of the pandemic at his Northern California based Crossed Culture Music studio and also sprinkled an amazing lead guitar track throughout, reminiscent of falling cherry blossom petals. Kris' son Tyler Kanoho provided the absolute perfect visual counterpart to the song's kaona and message with his original artwork.

The process of bringing this mele to fruition was a very healing and cathartic journey for the entire Espaniola ‘ohana. The hope is that it will also help anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one.

Artist: Steven Espaniola

Label: SheGo

Release Date: 2/4/2022

Distribution: iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeart

Songwriters: Steven Espaniola | Puni Patrick

Producer/Engineer: Dave Tucciarone

Mastering Engineer: John Golden | Golden Mastering 

All vocals, bass, 'ukulele, rhythm guitar: Steven Espaniola

Lead Electric Guitar: Kris Kanoho

Original Cover Art: Tyler Imaikalani Kanoho

Video Director: Duncan O’Brien

Recorded: Seventh Wave Studios (Hawai’i) & Crossed Culture Music (California)

Highest Chart Position: #18 iTunes World Music Chart | February 13, 2022

Shot on location in Santa Barbara, CA & Pakala, Kaua'i, the video for Sakura was directed by Duncan O’Brien and perfectly captures the essence of the song. Keep an eye out for the various unplanned hōʻailona (signs, symbols) throughout the video including the ʻio (hawk) 1:42 and 3:29 also ānuenue (rainbow) 3:59.

Sakura