The group arranges traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music, performing and recording with instruments such as ukulele, guitar, ipu, and upright bass.
[2] Several have charted in the top five on the Billboard Top World Albums chart,[3] In 1995, at 17, Kuana and fellow Hilo native and falsetto musician, Kehau Tamure, emerged as one of the most popular Hawaiian Music groups to date, Na Palapalai.
Kuana's original, “Ke Anu O Waimea” is still the most popular hula song in Japan to this day.
[4] After a lengthy hiatus, Na Palapalai returned to the stage with all three original members (Kuana Torres Kahele, Kehau Tamure, and Keao Costa) The album was recorded live at the Historic Hawai’i Theatre during Kuana's 2017 Winter Wonderland concert.
A favorite of Hula dancers, Na Palapalai is internationally recognized for its highly spirited Hawaiian music.