Pōʻai Lincoln wins Maui falsetto contest

Pōʻai Lincoln wins Maui falsetto contest

Pōʻai Lincoln of Honolulu, originally from Hawaiʻi Island, won the 5th Annual Carmen Hulu Lindsey Leo Haʻihaʻi Falsetto Contest on Friday at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, singing “Kimo Hula” and scoring 384 points, Maui Now reported.

Contestants came from Maui, Oʻahu, Utah and Japan. The contest honors leo haʻihaʻi, the Hawaiian falsetto style known for its expressive breaks between vocal registers, and is a signature event of the Festivals of Aloha.

What it means: Competitions like this help pass Hawaiian falsetto, and the language in its songs, to a new generation of singers.