Hawaiian Artist Maoli Releases ‘Last Sip of Summer’ Single
Hawaiian superstar Maoli confirms his new album, Last Sip of Summer, will be released on June 27 on OneRPM, continuing to innovate and evolve his distinctive island country sound.
Maoli shares a first taste of the new music with the LP’s title track above!
“That island-boy, country mix. It’s not a vacation, it’s a real lifestyle,” Maoli (born Glenn Awong) says. “It’s very special to me because I’m very proud of where I come from, and I feel like Hawaii has something really special to offer the world—but until now, you’ve had to live here to understand it… I feel like it’s my kuleana—my job—to share that with the world.”
For his ninth studio album, Maoli works with hit producers Dann and David Huff to capture his authentic island-country background. A blend of traditional Hawaiian music, rock, reggae and country—drawing inspiration from icons like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and George Strait—has earned him widespread recognition across Hawaii, Polynesia and the American West Coast.
Maoli will embark on a “Last Sip of Summer” headline tour across North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The dates begin January 24 in New Zealand, and he’ll make his way to the U.S. beginning March 20 in San Antonio, with further stops at New York City’s Webster Hall, Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, Nashville’s CanneryMainstage, Honolulu’s Blaisdell Arena, Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and more. See below for a complete list of dates. Tickets HERE.
In addition to the already sold-out Australian leg of the tour, Maoli will be headlining Byron Bay Bluesfest this April 2025.
Maoli’s musical journal began in seventh grade, when he learned to play the ukelele. However, it wasn’t until years later that he fully returned to music, with some encouragement from his uncle. His now storied 15-year career is marked by a series of albums and singles, including covers of hits like Brett Young’s “Mercy” (18+ million Spotify streams) and “In Case You Didn’t Know” (10+ million Spotify streams). Last year, Maoli and Young collaborated on a new song, “Broke Heart Break.”
Breaking into the mainstream with his unique mix of island reggae and country soul, Maoli aims to put people on the map like they’ve never been before, revealing the common bonds between country folks and island lifers. In 2018, Awong rediscovered his country roots, having seen the similarities between his music and modern country, from the melodies and strong rhythms to the tradition of simple-life storytelling.
In 2010, his sophomore LP, Rock Easy, landed in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Reggae charts with three #1 singles: “Breaking My Heart,” “Whisper” and “Rock Easy.” In 2020, Maoli won Group of the Year and Album of the Year for the record, Sense Of Purpose, at iHeart’s Island Awards, followed by Album of the Year and Song of the Year in 2021.
In 2023, the band embarked on their “Maoli Music Overload (MMO)” tour, selling more than 45,000 tickets across four cities in Hawaii, in addition to selling 11,500 tickets on the MMO US tour plus several Festival appearances including Cali Roots and Holo Holo Fest Sacramento.
photo credit: Reggie Villa