RELEASE NUMBER 73 | 25
L-R: Paradise Originals — Taimane, Marques Marzan & JT Ojerio (Aloha de Mele)
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Renowned ukulele virtuoso expands the resort’s evolving creative ecosystem, the Paradise Originals
HONOLULU – One year after its unveiling, OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel is re-centering attention on its signature cultural engine, the Paradise Originals — a multidisciplinary collective of Hawai‘i-based creatives whose perspectives shaped the hotel’s identity from concept to completion. Today, that creative force comes to life anew with the release of “Pīkake Princess,” an original single and music video by Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning ukulele virtuoso Taimane Gardner, and one of the hotel’s newest Paradise Originals.
Filmed entirely on property, the music video highlights the confident, cosmopolitan spirit of the reimagined hotel while paying tribute to Princess Ka‘iulani, whose beloved ʻĀinahau estate once occupied the grounds where OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel now stands. “Pīkake Princess” becomes the latest creative expression to emerge from the Paradise Originals program, which brings together Hawai‘i-based artists whose work informs the hotel’s ongoing cultural narrative.
“This song is a playful, uplifting tribute to Princess Kaʻiulani and her former home, ʻĀinahau, where the OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel now stands,” Taimane shared. “Instead of attempting to portray Princess Kaʻiulani herself, ‘Pīkake Princess’ is a reflection of the qualities we share. Like Ka‘iulani, I travel far yet carry home everywhere I go. We are both women of the world. . . but also coconut girls.”
The Paradise Originals: A Living Creative Collective
Established during the property’s transformation from OHANA Waikīkī East to OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel in 2024, the Paradise Originals represent a curated group of artists, entrepreneurs and cultural practitioners whose influence permeates design, storytelling, programming and guest experience. Their work continues to shape the hotel’s evolving sense of place. Some of the Paradise Originals include:
- Alison “Bo” Tanaka: Serving as the Executive Vice President & CFO of Tanaka of Tokyo Restaurants, a family-owned business based out of Honolulu since 1978, Tanaka has helped expand her familyʻs business across three locations, including the newest at OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel.
- Alyson “Aly” Ishikuni-Sasaki: As the founder of Mori and Art + Flea and public programmer at the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, Ishikuni-Sasaki’s career of bringing artists’ work to the community enters its latest chapter at the OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel. The next event is scheduled for December 20, 2025.
- Bree Poort: A photographer & painter who captures the moods of the sea in sweeping colors, Bree’s images evoke the movement, serenity and depth of the ocean, inviting guests to slow down and take it in
- Irie Love: With a voice as warm as the Hawaiian sun, Irie Love brings soulful reggae rhythms to life. The beloved local artist’s music reflects Hawaiʻi’s multicultural heartbeat, wrapping listeners in her uplifting energy and aloha.
- Jack Soren: A contemporary North Shore artist, Jack Soren transitioned his art from graffiti to professional painting. Soren’s contemporary works draw inspiration from timeless concepts and historical contexts, often featuring stylized figures and ocean scenes.
- JT Ojerio (Aloha de Mele): Born and raised on Oʻahu, JT Ojerio is the Native Hawaiian artist behind Aloha de Mele. With a commitment to creating art that connects, Ojerio’s hand-drawn signature style is inspired by Hawaiʻi’s flora, landscapes and its people. Her work has been showcased internationally, alongside ongoing community-focused initiatives.
- Marques Marzan: A Native Hawaiian artist specializing in traditional fiber arts, various cultural institutions have recognized Marzan with fellowships and exhibits.
OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel is OUTRIGGER’s second craft hotel, following the success of the pioneering OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, home to the acclaimed Beachcomber Originals. That first wave of creatives helped transform Beachcomber into one of Waikīkī’s most celebrated lifestyle hotels: establishing a proven model in which musicians, artists, designers and cultural practitioners shape not only aesthetics but the entire guest journey.
Building on that momentum, the Paradise Originals extend this blueprint, bringing fresh voices and contemporary expression to Princess Ka‘iulani’s former ʻĀinahau estate. The result is a hotel whose identity is artist-built, culturally rooted and unmistakably modern.
“OUTRIGGER Waikīkī Paradise Hotel is a craft hotel in the truest sense — shaped by creatives, storytellers and cultural practitioners,” said Kiana Beimes, General Manager. “Celebrating our Paradise Originals means honoring the people who defined this space from the ground up and continue to give it its voice, its beauty and its soul.”
The release of “Pīkake Princess” underscores OUTRIGGER’s enduring commitment to elevating Hawai‘i’s creative community through thoughtful, long-term collaboration. Across its growing craft hotel portfolio, OUTRIGGER integrates local artistry into placemaking, activating platforms for Hawai‘i-based creators to share their work with global audiences and ensuring that culture is not simply represented, but lived. To learn more about the Paradise Originals and book your stay, visit this link here.
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