Headliner Lei Staging Solo Laie Concert
By MidWeek Staff
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Kristian Lei
Philippines-born and Hawaii-raised, Kristian Lei will take to the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday in McKay Auditorium at BYU-Hawaii for her first-ever Christian concert, Seasons of Love.
“My papa would always talk about the seasons of life, so I thought it would be cool to go through the ‘seasons’ of my career,” said the Waianae High School graduate, who is working with other acclaimed artists to be featured in the show: Hoku award-winning Mihana Souza of Kailua,Christian/gospel artist Yvette Umi, Fab 4’s Kea Davis-Milo, vocal-ist Gavin Vinta, BYUH soloist Janette Manzano Catahan, Honolulu Broadway Babies’Julius Mina, plus James Okubo, Mario Nanguse, and Shun and Don Pactanac.
Tickets cost $20 for general admission and are available at ticketmaster.com and at the BYUH Aloha Center. The concert is sponsored by Women of Our World and the BYU Performance Series.
Lei began her singing career at 19 and gained early success without formal vocal training. She landed the lead role of Kim in the German production of Miss Saigon, followed by Ti Moune in the AAI Philippine tour of Once on This Island and Tuptim in Hawaii Opera Theater’s The King and I.
The Laie concert will include selections from those musicals and others she loves as well as from her debut Christian/inspirational album, Take My Hand.
“People know me as Kim from Miss Saigon, but I also want to be known as Kristian Lei - as myself,” she said. “I’m the type of person who doesn’t like to bring too much attention to myself, and my mom was like,‘It’s time for you to focus on yourself, do a solo concert and show people who you really are as Kristian and as a Christian.’
“So now I’m getting excited to sing my heart out and share my life experiences with everyone in attendance.”
Music is much more than just performing, Lei said - it’s an expression of faith, and her voice an instrument and gift from God.
“The most dominant feeling I have in my heart right now is to do missionary work through my music. The greatest reward is that many people come to me saying they’re touched by my music. My music really is meant to help others heal.”
For her younger brother, Joshua, Lei also founded Honolulu Broadway Babies - a non-profit group that builds continuing educational programs for people who are developmentally challenged.
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