What does "KALEO" mean and how did they come up with that name?
explanation from inside the cover of their 2013 album
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"Kaleo" translates to "the sound" in the Hawaiian language. No one seems to remember how they got around to it, but everyone agrees that it was Davið's idea. In this "Good Morning Texas" clip, at about the minute mark, he says he just liked the sound of it, and once they tried it out, it "stuck instantly and we've been going with that since".
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a brief Hawaiian language lesson:
"Ka" is a definitive article that comes before a noun, like "the". Pronounced CAW, as if you were going to say CAUGHT but didn't pronounce the T. "Leo" means voice, tone, or sound. Pronounced LEH-oh, like saying "let go" but without the t or g sound. When written as two words "ka leo" means a sound, or voice, as in "I heard the sound of raindrops hitting the roof". "Kaleo" written together is usually a boy's name, although it is not a common one. According to Baby Name Science, 1 in 51,283 baby boys were given the name Kaleo, making it a "very unique name". |
Hear both Davið and the host pronounce "kuh-LAY-oh" at the beginning of this KINK 101.9 interview
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Other ideas
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JJ has said that they have absolutely no connection to Hawaii except that it is also a volcanic island, like Iceland. At around the 4:50 mark, he joked around and said that they're beginning to tell people that Davið was conceived in Hawaii. When asked if he actually was, JJ says "yes".
(I'm including all of the June 2016 CHRISTYosities videos here as I think she did a great job with the interview, plus we can always watch more live music footage!) |
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Kaleo Interview with Jon Hart in TV Studio A
90.9 The Bridge April 14, 2015 (at about the 1:20 mark)
"Well, we don't really have a strong connection with Hawaii, but we joke around
that our only connection is that Davið, the drummer, is conceived in Hawaii." -JJ
"That's actually true." -Davið
This may be one of the best live interview/performances I've seen because Jon Hart is so great and listening and guiding the band through questions. The best part is at around 10:35 when he introduces the band and calls Davið "Hawaii's native son".
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