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Hoku

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This article is about the singer. For other uses, see Hoku (disambiguation).

Hoku
Born
Hoku Christian Ho

(1981-06-10) June 10, 1981 (age 43)
Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.
Other namesHoku Ho Clements
EducationLa Pietra
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
Years active1999–present
Spouse
Jeremy Clements
​
(m. 1999)​
Children3
Parents
Musical career
Genres
Labels
Websitehokumusic.com

Hoku Ho Clements[1] (born June 10, 1981) is an American singer and actress. She is best known for her 2000 single "Another Dumb Blonde", from the soundtrack and film Snow Day, which peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the single "Perfect Day", which appeared on the soundtrack of the hit comedy film Legally Blonde and was added to Contemporary hit radio in June 2001.

Early life

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Hoku was born Hoku Christian Ho[2] on June 10, 1981, on the island of Oahu (the most populous of the Hawaiian Islands), the daughter of entertainer Don Ho and Patricia Swallie.[3][2][4] Her given name, Hoku, is the Hawaiian word for star.[4] Her father was hapa, of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, German, and Dutch descent.[5][6] She has one full sibling, a younger sister named Kaimana, and eight half-siblings.[7] For a time, Clements lived in the affluent Honolulu neighborhood Diamond Head, with Don, Patricia, Kaimana, Don's ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Guevara, and Don and Elizabeth's two daughters.[4]

Hoku frequently performed with her father, who taught her how to write songs,[1] as a child.[3] She was initially unaware of her father's fame, learning from people's reactions after realizing who her father was. "I thought everyone's parents had shows at night," she said.[1] She graduated from La Pietra.[8]

Career

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Hoku credits her father for her discovery.[8] "People helped me a lot, because of who my dad was," she said.[1] She caught the attention of songwriter and producer Antonina Armato, who encouraged her to move to Los Angeles to meet with other producers.[4][8] "She has a pure voice," Armato said. "I don't have to doctor it and use all the tricks of the studio."[4] Hoku was attending Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, dropping her last name when she moved from Hawaii,[4] when she was offered a recording contract from Interscope Records. Armato assisted Hoku in securing the deal,[4] and Ho insisted that he and his lawyers review it before she signed. "I didn't want her signing something that wasn't good," he said.[8]

Hoku's debut single, "Another Dumb Blonde" (the theme song to the 2000 film Snow Day),[8] was released on January 18, 2000.[9] A day after its music video premiered on MTV, it was the network's tenth most-requested video.[8] The song was a top ten sales hit in the United States and peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100,[4][10] additionally charting at number 47 in New Zealand.[11] Shocked by the single's success, Hoku dropped out of Point Loma Nazarene and began recording her first album Hoku (2000).[4] The album was released on April 18, 2000, by Geffen and Interscope Records and peaked at number 151 on the Billboard 200.[12][13]

Hoku had planned to work on a second album for Interscope after the March 2001 release of her single "Perfect Day" to radio, a track which appeared on the soundtrack of the hit comedy film Legally Blonde, and served as the film's theme song and was officially added to Contemporary hit radio in June 2001.[14] Struggling to find a niche in the pop music industry, she left the label, disagreeing with them regarding her image and marketing, which she felt clashed with her Pentecostal Christian upbringing.[15] She wrote and funded an EP, Listen Up, which was released on August 1, 2008, through the singer's own Ola Vista Records.[15] She opened for Gwen Stefani's Neal S. Blaisdell Center shows of The Sweet Escape Tour later that month.[16] In March 2018, she decided to return to her music and release an EP titled Called by Name. Unlike her previous works, this is her first Christian EP.[17]

In September 2019, Ho performed at The Mission North Shore Church in Haleʻiwa, Hawaii.[18][19][20][21]

Musical style and artistry

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Jason Lynch of People has called bubblegum pop Hoku's speciality.[4] Hoku's AllMusic page lists her musical styles as teen pop and Europop.[3] She has been frequently compared to fellow pop singers Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears,[4][3][14][22] however, Charlotte Dillon of AllMusic has noted Hoku's distinct style, attributing it to the singer's Christian faith. "It's not very comfortable for me to be a sex symbol, especially because of my faith," Hoku has said. "That's why I enjoy being involved with the younger kids, because they relate to me being the girl next door."[4] In his review of Hoku, Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, "Sure, it's commercial – that's what teen pop is all about – but never once do the record makers decide to push Hoku as a nymphet. Her songs are never sexual the way those of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera surely are."[22] Erlewine also noted that her young-sounding voice made it appropriate that her music was "targeted toward middle-school daydreams and junior-high dances".[22]

Personal life

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Hoku became a Christian after first attending church in 1995 [4] and she has said nothing means more to her than music outside of her family and faith.[8] In 1999, shortly after her 18th birthday, she married 21-year-old Jeremy Clements, who she started dating while she was in high school. The couple eloped "for personal reasons", according to Hoku,[14] later saying that she was scared to tell her father because of his harsh attitude towards boys she previously dated and how young she was at the time.[1] Hoku and her husband Jeremy have three children and served as Arts and Worship Architects at Branches Church in Dana Point, California from 2010-2019.[23][24]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[13] 		US Heat
[25]
Hoku
  • Released: April 18, 2000
  • Label: Geffen, Interscope
  • Formats: CD, cassette, digital download
 151 8

EPs

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Title Album details
Listen Up
  • Released: August 1, 2008[26]
  • Label: Ola Vista
  • Formats: CD, digital download
  • Track listing:
    1. "If You Don't Want My Love" – 3:27
    2. "Saturday Morning" – 3:33
    3. "Closer" – 3:36
    4. "All I Need" – 3:19
    5. "Listen Up" – 3:39
Called by Name
  • Released March 25, 2018[27]
  • Label: HokuMusic.com
  • Format: Digital download
  • Track listing:
    1. "Called by Name" – 4:00
    2. "I See You Now" – 3:57
    3. "You" – 3:45
    4. "Your Will Be Done" – 4:48
    5. "Many Oceans" – 5:16

Singles

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Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
[10] 		US
Pop
[12] 		NZ
[11]
"Another Dumb Blonde" 2000 27 29 47 Hoku and Snow Day: Music from the Motion Picture
"Perfect Day" 2001 — — — Legally Blonde: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
"O Holy Night (Hallelujah)"[28] 2017 — — —
"The World Slept On"[29] 2019 — — —
"Greater"[30] 2020 — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Music videos

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  • "Another Dumb Blonde" (2000)
  • "How Do I Feel" (2000)
  • "Perfect Day" (2001)

Filmography

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Film

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Year Movie Role
2002 Nancy Drew Bitsy
2003 Arizona Summer Shawn

Television

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Year Show Note
2000 98 Degrees and Hoku in Concert Disney Channel in Concert
2000 Hollywood Squares As herself - Panelist on September 5, 2000 - Teen People Week!
2000 In a Heartbeat As herself in Episode 1.9 (October 14, 2000) "A Night to Remember."
2001 World Music Awards As a performer.
2007 NightTime With Andy Bumatai As herself, Late night talk show guest.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Harada, Wayne (2007). "A Friend, Dad, Business Partner". The Honolulu Advertiser. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Alvarez, Gabriel; Robertson, Josh (February 16, 2013). "The 50 Hottest Celebrity Daughters: 25. Hoku and Kea Ho". Complex. Complex Media. p. 27. Archived from the original on July 20, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Dillon, Charlotte. "Hoku | Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Lynch, Jason (March 27, 2000). "Daddy's Little Girl". People. 53 (12). Time Inc. Archived from the original on July 12, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  5. ^ Chinen, Nate (April 15, 2007). "Don Ho, Hawaiian Musician, Dies at 76". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  6. ^ Chinen, Nate (April 15, 2007). "Don Ho, Hawaiian Musician, Dies at 76". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  7. ^ "Statement of Faith". Calvary Church of the Islands. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Ryan, Tim (January 20, 2000). "Hoku follows her own star". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "Another Dumb Blonde [US CD5/Cassette]". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Hoku - Chart history: The Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 24, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Hoku - Another Dumb Blonde". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  12. ^ a b "Hoku - Hoku | Releases". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Hoku - Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 24, 2016. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  14. ^ a b c Harada, Wayne (February 1, 2001). "Hoku Ho secretly married to manager". The Honolulu Advertiser. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  15. ^ a b "Listen Up: Music: Editorial Reviews". Amazon.com. August 1, 2007. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  16. ^ "Hoku Ho to open for Gwen Stefani". The Honolulu Advertiser. Gannett Company. August 4, 2007. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  17. ^ "Getting Real With Hoku: The 'Perfect Day' Star Talks Early 2000s Pop Success and Why She Left the Spotlight". Billboard. April 1, 2020. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
  18. ^ "So excited to be a part of this event with @themissionns and to support my wise and insightful friend @monicaswanson_ ! ✨". instagram.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  19. ^ "Gorgeous evening with gorgeous humans. Thank you @themissionns and @monicaswanson_ and @emilyturner for having me. I don't think I've ever played in a more beautiful setting. 📸: @emilyturner 🌺: @hi.golds". instagram.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  20. ^ "Ladies! Come and enjoy an encouraging and relaxing night with a special talk by Monica Swanson and music by Hoku Clements. Monica will be giving an encouraging talk on "Upstream Parenting"...how we can raise good and godly kids in the midst of our crazy world. She'll offer practical advice, Biblical wisdom, and some hands-on-resources to help you parent your kids now with a vision of who they can become. We will also be having fun giveaways for her new book, Boy Mom : What Your Son Needs Most from You. Reserve your spot on Sunday". instagram.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  21. ^ "Tomorrow night ✨". instagram.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  22. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hoku - Hoku". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  23. ^ "Our Team". Branches OC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  24. ^ "Getting Real With Hoku: The 'Perfect Day' Star Talks Early 2000s Pop Success and Why She Left the Spotlight". www.billboard.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  25. ^ "Hoku | Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on July 28, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  26. ^ "Listen Up - Hoku". music.apple.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  27. ^ "Called by Name - EP". music.apple.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  28. ^ "O Holy Night (Hallelujah) - Single by Hoku Clements on Apple Music".
  29. ^ "The World Slept on - Single by Hoku on Apple Music".
  30. ^ "Greater". Spotify.
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