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Forty years ago, Brother Noland released "Coconut Girl" on the 1983 LP, Pacific Bad Boy, forever changing the landscape of local music with Hawaii's first big Jamaican crossover hit. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of his landmark tune, Brother Noland joined Pena Bu in the studio to re-envision "Coconut Girl" for 2023, inviting young talents Olivia Ruff, Lion Fiyah, Lilo Tuala, and Asaiah Dread to put a modern stamp on the song. Joining them are longtime Noland-collaborators Kata Maduli, Fred Schreuders, and Kapena DeLima. Since his debut in 1980 with the album Speaking Brown, Brother Noland has consistently pushed, prodded, and progressed what music in Hawaii sounds like. This 7-inch release, Coconut Girl (1983 & 2023), marks the beginning of a series of collaborative releases between Aloha Got Soul and Brother Noland focusing on the artist's early music career. Several years after the inclusion of Brother Noland's "Kawaihae" on the Strut Records x Aloha Got Soul compilation (STRUT133, released in 2016), Aloha Got Soul is honored to rekindle it's connection with Brother Noland to highlight the early years of his music career for today's listeners.
Brother Noland