Hoku Ho Clements (born June 10, 1981) is an American singer and actress. She is best known for her 2000 single "Another Dumb Blonde", from the soundtrack and film Snow Day, which peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the single "Perfect Day", which appeared on the soundtrack of the hit comedy film Legally Blonde and was added to Contemporary hit radio in June 2001.

Early life

Hoku was born Hoku Christian Ho Her father was hapa, of Native Hawaiian, Chinese, Portuguese, German, and Dutch descent. She has one full sibling, a younger sister named Kaimana, and eight half-siblings. For a time, Clements lived in the affluent Honolulu neighborhood Diamond Head, with Don, Patricia, Kaimana, Don's ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Guevara, and Don and Elizabeth's two daughters.

Career

Hoku credits her father for her discovery. A day after its music video premiered on MTV, it was the network's tenth most-requested video. additionally charting at number 47 in New Zealand. Shocked by the single's success, Hoku dropped out of Point Loma Nazarene and began recording her first album Hoku (2000).

Hoku had planned to work on a second album for Interscope after the March 2001 release of her single "Perfect Day" to radio, a track which appeared on the soundtrack of the hit comedy film Legally Blonde, and served as the film's theme song and was officially added to Contemporary hit radio in June 2001. The song marked a transition from her earlier bubblegum teen pop sound toward a more guitar-driven, pop-rock sound. "No one really knew that Legally Blonde was going to be what it was, Literally, [my label heads] were like, 'This movie's not going to become anything.' And then the next thing you know, it's like, this iconic movie. And my song opens it!" Hoku said in an interview with Billboard. "Sitting in the premiere and hearing my song open the movie, and everyone's cheering – it felt like, 'I've really arrived now, folks.'" She wrote and funded an EP, Listen Up, which was released on August 1, 2008, through the singer's own Ola Vista Records. In March 2018, she decided to return to her music and release an EP titled Called by Name. Unlike her previous works, this is her first Christian EP.

In September 2019, Ho performed at The Mission North Shore Church in Haleʻiwa, Hawaii.

Musical style and artistry

Jason Lynch of People has called bubblegum pop Hoku's speciality. however, Charlotte Dillon of AllMusic has noted Hoku's distinct style, attributing it to the singer's Christian faith. "It's not very comfortable for me to be a sex symbol, especially because of my faith," Hoku has said. "That's why I enjoy being involved with the younger kids, because they relate to me being the girl next door."

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details

! scope="col" colspan="2" | Peak chart positions

|-

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;" | US<br/>

|-

! scope="row" | Hoku

|

  • Released: April 18, 2000
  • Label: Geffen, Interscope
  • Formats: CD, cassette, digital download

| 151 || 8

|-

|}

EPs

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Album details

|-

! scope="row" | Listen Up

|

  • Released: August 1, 2008
  • Label: Ola Vista
  • Formats: CD, digital download
  • Track listing:
  • "If You Don't Want My Love" – 3:27
  • "Saturday Morning" – 3:33
  • "Closer" – 3:36
  • "All I Need" – 3:19
  • "Listen Up" – 3:39

|-

! scope="row" | Called by Name

|

  • Released March 25, 2018
  • Label: HokuMusic.com
  • Format: Digital download
  • Track listing:
  • "Called by Name" – 4:00
  • "I See You Now" – 3:57
  • "You" – 3:45
  • "Your Will Be Done" – 4:48
  • "Many Oceans" – 5:16

|-

|}

Singles

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|-

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:19em;"| Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year

! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album

|-

! scope="col" style="width:2.5em;font-size:90%;"| US<br/>

| 2017

| — || — || —

|

|-

! scope="row"| "The World Slept On"

| 2019

| — || — || —

|

|-

! scope="row"| "Greater"

| 2020

| — || — || —

|

|-

| colspan="6" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

|}

Music videos

  • "Another Dumb Blonde" (2000)
  • "How Do I Feel" (2000)
  • "Perfect Day" (2001)

Filmography

Film

{| class="wikitable"

! Year !! Movie !! Role

|-

| 2002 || Nancy Drew || Bitsy

|-

| 2003 || Arizona Summer || Shawn

|}

Television

{| class="wikitable"

! Year !! Show !! Note

|-

| 2000 || 98 Degrees and Hoku in Concert || Disney Channel in Concert

|-

| 2000 || Hollywood Squares || As herself - Panelist on September 5, 2000 - Teen People Week!

|-

| 2000 || In a Heartbeat || As herself in Episode 1.9 (October 14, 2000) "A Night to Remember."

|-

| 2001 || World Music Awards || As a performer.

|-

| 2007 || NightTime With Andy Bumatai || As herself, Late night talk show guest.

|}

References

  • Official website
  • Hoku at IMDb