Lehua Sandbo
Encyclopedia
Lehualani Ehukai Nahina (born February 7, 1983 in Haleiwa, Hawaii
, United States
) is a former singer of Norwegian, Hawaiian, Filipino, Irish, Spanish, and Chinese ancestry. Better known by the stage name
, she joined Hello! Project
in 2000 as the only second generation member of Coconuts Musume
.
, Oahu
, she was cast as the lead in her school musical.
According to Sandbo in an interview from 2003, she first heard of the Coconuts Musume auditions from her aunt who read about it in a Hawaii newspaper. She says,
After being called back for an audition in Waikīkī
, Sandbo had sang her rendition of Whitney Houston
's "I Will Always Love You
" (originally by Dolly Parton
). A few days later, she and two other girls were finalists in the auditions. The second part of the auditions required the girls to sing and dance a Coconuts Musume song. Sandbo had shocked everyone when she chose to perform the Japanese version of Dance & Chance
. After everything was said and done, Sandbo was picked as the winner.
Sandbo was added into Coconuts Musume in February 2000 to join the three members, Ayaka Kimura
, Mika Todd and Danielle Delaunay. Her first recording however was not with the group Coconuts Musume, but with the 2000 Hello! Project Shuffle Unit, Aoiro 7.
The first Coconuts Musume single to be released with Sandbo was "Tokonatsu Musume". After that single, the group had released "Watashi mo "I Love You"", which was also fellow member Danielle Delaunay's last single. After Delaunay's graduation, the three member group only released one more single, "Jonetsu Yuki Miraisen", before Sandbo too was off to graduate.
On February 17, 2002, Sandbo graduated from Coconuts Musume and Hello! Project at the end of the Hello! Project 2002 ~Kotoshi mo Sugoizo!~ concert tour.
Within the same year of leaving Hello! Project, Sandbo was awarded the Miss Congeniality award for the Miss Hawaii USA
2003 pageant. Later, in 2008, she was crowned Mrs. Hawaii USA and will compete in the 2008 Mrs. United States
pageant, the only nationally televised beauty pageant for married women.
She now enjoys the life of a private citizen in her hometown of Haleiwa, Hawaii
. She married professional longboard surfer, Kapono Nahina, and together they have a daughter, Kaianna Lehualani Nahina. Sandbo is also attending college in hopes of becoming a registered nurse.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) is a former singer of Norwegian, Hawaiian, Filipino, Irish, Spanish, and Chinese ancestry. Better known by the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
, she joined Hello! Project
Hello! Project
is the umbrella name for all female idol Japanese pop recording artists collective that are under contract with the Up-Front Group. The "mothership" group of Hello! Project is the super-group Morning Musume. Hello! Project's current leader is Risa Niigaki, the leader of Morning Musume...
in 2000 as the only second generation member of Coconuts Musume
Coconuts Musume
is a group from Hello! Project that was formed and promoted as the "girls from Hawaii". After nine years, the group officially disbanded when Ayaka Kimura graduated from Hello! Project.- Members :* 1998–2008 –...
.
Biography
Sandbo had known she wanted to be an actress or singer since a young age. Her first year of high school at St. Francis School in MānoaManoa
thumb|240px|right|Vintage shot of University of Hawaii, Manoa240px|thumb|right|Vintage photo of Manoa ValleyMānoa is a valley and a residential neighborhood of Honolulu CDP of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States; the community is approximately three miles east and inland from...
, Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, she was cast as the lead in her school musical.
According to Sandbo in an interview from 2003, she first heard of the Coconuts Musume auditions from her aunt who read about it in a Hawaii newspaper. She says,
After being called back for an audition in Waikīkī
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
, Sandbo had sang her rendition of Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
's "I Will Always Love You
I Will Always Love You
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
" (originally by Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
). A few days later, she and two other girls were finalists in the auditions. The second part of the auditions required the girls to sing and dance a Coconuts Musume song. Sandbo had shocked everyone when she chose to perform the Japanese version of Dance & Chance
Dance & Chance
Dance & Chance is the second single of the J-pop idol group Coconuts Musume. It was released on August 8, 1999 with the catalogue number SRCL-4635 and is the last single to feature members Chelsea Ching and April Barbaran.- Track listing :# Dance & Chance...
. After everything was said and done, Sandbo was picked as the winner.
Sandbo was added into Coconuts Musume in February 2000 to join the three members, Ayaka Kimura
Ayaka Kimura
, currently known by her stage name as Ayaka Nagate , is an actress currently signed to Tristone Entertainment...
, Mika Todd and Danielle Delaunay. Her first recording however was not with the group Coconuts Musume, but with the 2000 Hello! Project Shuffle Unit, Aoiro 7.
The first Coconuts Musume single to be released with Sandbo was "Tokonatsu Musume". After that single, the group had released "Watashi mo "I Love You"", which was also fellow member Danielle Delaunay's last single. After Delaunay's graduation, the three member group only released one more single, "Jonetsu Yuki Miraisen", before Sandbo too was off to graduate.
On February 17, 2002, Sandbo graduated from Coconuts Musume and Hello! Project at the end of the Hello! Project 2002 ~Kotoshi mo Sugoizo!~ concert tour.
Within the same year of leaving Hello! Project, Sandbo was awarded the Miss Congeniality award for the Miss Hawaii USA
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
2003 pageant. Later, in 2008, she was crowned Mrs. Hawaii USA and will compete in the 2008 Mrs. United States
Mrs. America
Mrs. America Pageant honors married women throughout the United States of America. Each of the 51 contestants , ranging in age from the 20s to 50s, earns the right to participate in the national event by winning her state competition. These state events are under the direction of Mrs. America state...
pageant, the only nationally televised beauty pageant for married women.
She now enjoys the life of a private citizen in her hometown of Haleiwa, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. She married professional longboard surfer, Kapono Nahina, and together they have a daughter, Kaianna Lehualani Nahina. Sandbo is also attending college in hopes of becoming a registered nurse.
External links
- ThePPN: Lehua Sandbo