Hawaii radio personality Mele Apana has released her first music project after 20 years of putting it off, a tribute to the Kauai hula teacher who raised her.

• The new song, "Leonora Olinala," honors her late aunt Lovey Apana, one of Kauai's revered kumu hula.
• A break from morning radio finally made the project possible — early shifts had left her voice too rough to record.
• The melody came to her in a dream in which her aunt appeared and told her she would never leave; her aunt later helped write the words.
• The music video brings back the halau's original dancers, who have performed at Merrie Monarch since 1978.
• The song is out on all streaming platforms, with the video on YouTube.

Outlook: Apana is expected to follow up with live events tied to the release.