Ikaika Kahoano wanted more than his allotted 15 minutes of fame. It wasn't enough that the 24-year-old Iolani School graduate became a member of the pre-fab boy band O-Town on ABC's "Making the Band" series back in March through May 2000. It was a group he would quit in disgust soon afterward, returning home to friends and family. The son of entertainers Kimo and Lynette Kahoano would soon form the group Ano with his younger brother Kamuela, with the encouragement of older brother Haku.
Ikaika Kahoano's return home would last all of three months. Without a warning to his family, he headed for New York City to hook up with two "Making the Band" finalists he befriended, Bryan Chan and Mike Miller, to make another go at a mainstream entertainment career. Jonas Persch rounds out the quartet dubbed LMNT (pronounced "element," a name picked from a Teen People-sponsored online contest).
Group members hope there's still enough gold to be mined from the * boy band phenomenon, and will find out soon enough as Tuesday marked the nationwide release of LMNT's debut album, "All Sides." In a couple of phone interviews with Kahoano from New York, once during a noisy album release party * Tuesday and a day later, he was candid about his life-changing experience. "When Bryan told me in March of last year that he wanted me to join him and Mike, I originally told him I didn't want it," he said. "I was still pretty bitter about the whole * O-Town experience. I just didn't get along with the other guys in that group. I didn't respect them both on a musical and personal level. There was just no love there. "Even though there was no trash talk between us, it was still just a wack, ugly situation. I'm cool with them now and wish them all the best, but at the time I had to get out."
LMNT started touring last summer and performed during last year's Hula Bowl halftime show. The group's initial single release, the pop confection "Juliet," spent eight consecutive weeks as the No. 1 song on * Radio Disney. It was written by Epicentre, a duo from Stockholm, Sweden, who, not surprisingly, has also worked with * *N Sync. (Note: This song and the album opener "Girl Crazy" are made to set prepubescent girls' hearts aflutter while giving this aging male a sudden case of diabetes. In defense of "Juliet," however, the accompanying video that can be accessed via CD-ROM drive made the tune more bearable with its cute and clever laundromat fantasy scenario, complete with a cameo from Jamie-Lynn Sigler of "The Sopranos," who shares the same manager as LMNT.)
Now LMNT and Kahoano's high tenor voice and photogenic looks will be featured on two summer tours this year, one for Radio Disney, the other as the opening act for * Britney Spears from June 20 to July 6, with 11 dates between the Midwest and Northeast Coast. WHEN KAHOANO came back home after the * O-Town fiasco, he found it was too late to re-enroll at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, where he had a year left in his biological studies en route to becoming a pediatrician. But being back didn't make him feel as good as he'd expected. "I now felt I didn't belong," he said. "I was looking for regular work, tutoring a bit, but individuals like me like a lot on their plate, and even though friends helped me get the odd job, Hawaii didn't feel like the place I was supposed to be in. "I felt I had no choice but to move back to the mainland after I called Bryan back and told him I wanted in. In fact, my family didn't even know I went back until I called my mom from New York City, telling her of my decision. While my parents were initially disappointed, they understood where I was coming from. "It took a couple of friends of mine, Eric and Chris, to set me "* straight". We were just sitting around on Lanikai Beach one day, talking, and they told me that my * O-Town experience was my 'in,' even though it ended up wack -- that I was the only one that could've done that stuff, and that, no matter how much they could've worked at being in show business, they didn't have the gift I was given. "They helped me realize that I have this God-given talent, even though my parents tried to push me away from the entertainment life they had -- not going to college, getting married right after high school and raising a family. And at first, even though I'd go with my dad to his gigs, I didn't look to pursue a career in entertainment. My parents wanted me to continue my schooling, but I had a taste for performing as early as high school, where my brother and I were in an a cappella group. "So I've surrendered and stopped fighting it. My friends have told me -- and I've come around to their way of thinking -- that I have a voice and a look, as well as the dance moves and good health, to pursue this career. And with my trust in God, I hope I can bring some light into this world with this group. "THE LONGEVITY of LMNT is dependent on the multiracial group (described by Kahoano as "humble individuals, not at all badasses or rock stars -- we're just four mama's boys!") gaining national airplay on radio stations that cater to an audience that's outgrown the * Radio Disney playlist.
To these ears, four of the 11 tracks on "All Sides" could help LMNT break out of teeny-bop mode. One of them is "Shangri La," produced and written by the Norwegian team Stargate (worked on hits for * S Club 7 and * Cher), which has a bit of a robotic, hip-hop feel to it. Another Stargate track, "Hold Me Down," sounds too much like a lightweight version of the kind of skittish, chopped-up rhythm work Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and *Timbaland have already mastered. "Keep It Coming," a contribution by L.A.'s Soulshock, who worked with * Mary J. Blige, 2Pac and Destiny's Child, takes a light, persistent approach Kahoano would like to work at. He said he also likes the tracks LMNT did with veteran New York session musician-producer Jimmy Bralower, who's also worked with the * Backstreet Boys. "Greatest Gift" and "It's Your Love" are two of the songs that are the closest in generating real emotion, thanks to the help of studio musicians. "It's just a matter of a series of doors breaking down in order to build up radio airplay that will help us in the long run," Kahoano said.
Open Your Eyes
LMNT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking in all the wrong places
When all of the time you've been blind to love
As plain as the nose on your faces
It's here, it's now
Open your eyes and see it
Right here, right now
You've been down on yourself thinking some things are wrong
Wondering why love has never found you
Don't you know it's been right here all along
If only you'd look around you
It's here, it's now
Open your eyes and see it
Right here, right now
Open your eyes to love
Love has been right by your side
Oh, so close that you couldn't see
If love could speak it would shout to the sky
I've always been here, I always will be
I'm here, I'm now
Open your eyes and see
Right here, right now
Open your eyes to love
Open your eyes
Open your mind to love
Open your heart to love
LMNT's song "Open your Eyes" is a heartwarming ballad with a message of hope and positivity. The lyrics convey the idea that true love is often right in front of us, but we can't see it because we're too focused on searching for it in all the wrong places. The song encourages us to open our eyes and hearts to love, to stop doubting ourselves and our worthiness of love. The chorus repeats the phrase "It's here, it's now. Open your eyes and see it. Right here, right now. Open your eyes to love." The song suggests that if we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open to love, we might finally find the kind of happiness and fulfillment we've been searching for.
The first verse of the song describes the searching process for love that many of us go through. We might feel like we've been searching for love forever, looking for it in all the wrong places, and not finding anything that really sticks. But the chorus suggests that we might be missing out on love that's hiding in plain sight. The second verse speaks to the self-doubt and insecurity that might prevent us from recognizing love when it's right in front of us. We might worry that we're not worthy of love, or that we're not attractive or interesting enough to catch someone's eye. But the song suggests that love is closer than we think, and all we need to do is open our hearts and minds to see it.
Overall, LMNT's "Open your Eyes" is a positive and uplifting song that encourages us to keep our hearts and minds open to love. It's a reminder that love might be closer than we think, and that we shouldn't give up hope even if we've been searching for a long time. Instead, we should focus on being open and vulnerable and allowing ourselves to see the beauty in the people and opportunities that are already in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been searching the world to find true love
You have been tirelessly exploring different places to find true affection, but it seems you have not found it yet.
Looking in all the wrong places
Despite putting in great efforts, you have been looking for love in the wrong places.
When all of the time you've been blind to love
You have been oblivious to the fact that love has been present right in front of your eyes all this while.
As plain as the nose on your faces
The love that you have been seeking is as clear and conspicuous as the nose on your faces.
It's here, it's now
True love is present here, at this very moment.
Open your eyes and see it
If you open your eyes and look around, you will be able to witness true love.
Right here, right now
At this moment, true love is right here with you.
Open your eyes to love
You need to unseal your eyes and acknowledge the existence of the love that surrounds you.
You've been down on yourself thinking some things are wrong
You have been self-deprecating and thinking that you are at fault for being unable to find love.
Wondering why love has never found you
You have been pondering over why true love has not found its way to you yet.
Don't you know it's been right here all along
Unbeknownst to you, true love has been present around you throughout.
If only you'd look around you
You would be able to perceive true love if only you paid attention to your surroundings.
Love has been right by your side
True love has been present right next to you.
Oh, so close that you couldn't see
The most beautiful and true form of love has been closer to you than you think.
If love could speak it would shout to the sky
If true love could speak, it would scream to the sky to make itself heard.
I've always been here, I always will be
True love has been and will always be around you.
I'm here, I'm now
True love is right here and now.
Open your eyes and see
Unseal your eyes to witness the presence of true love.
Open your mind to love
Broaden your perspective and open your mind to be able to absorb true love.
Open your heart to love
Accept true love into your life by opening your heart.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVID ANTHONY FRIEDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind