From Pig Farm to Hit Songs: Chardonnay’s Unlikely Rise | Chardonnay Keeps It Aloha (Ep. 224)

Chardonnay Pa'o is a Native-Hawaiian award-winning singer, songwriter from the west side of O’ahu. This Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-Winner is also a farmer and is redefining what it means to live rooted while chasing your dreams. She first caught people’s attention wearing a coconut hat and putting an island twist on Adele’s “Easy On Me,” with a version produced by Kapena that had people saying her voice was “so 'ono.”From there, she built a loyal following through her weekly #ChardonnaySunday performances online, leading to her breakout single “Hey” featuring Peni Dean, which went #1 on Hawaiʻi radio and earned her an Island Music Award nomination.Her hit “Stay Home” featuring past podcast guest Kuʻulei became a TikTok sensation in 2020, and she followed that up with her debut EP, featuring “Sweet Island Music,” which held the #1 spot all summer and earned her three Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award nominations and winning Instrumental Composition of the Year.In this episode we talk about her upbringing, growing up on a pig farm, her grandpa, the start of the music career, mental health, the recent Kona Low storms, upcoming music, and so much more. Enjoy!Buy our merch:🛍️ https://keepitaloha.com/Support us:🤙 https://www.patreon.com/kamakadiasFollow us:📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/keepitalohapod/🎵 TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@keepitalohapod📘 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/keepitalohapod