12/20/2025
"Everyday is Christmas in my heart and it all begins with you" is my favorite line from "Something to Give" by CHANT - an original Christmas song that has become an Island Classic and still played on the radio airwaves in Hawaii to this day.
Written by Darren Porlas and Vergel Jepas: "Something to Give" debuted at #1 on all the major Hawaii reporter stations including KSSK FM, I-94, 93 FMQ, KRTR 96, FM100 and KINE 105. KISS FM in Los Angeles also played CHANT's Christmas song "Something to Give" and the group received major label interest: most notably from producer Teddy Riley.
CHANT consisted of Darren Porlas, Tanner Henderson, Vergel Jepas, Charles Kupahu Timtim, Ben Taaca, Carl Fidel and Alvin Paguio.
I am playing all of the instruments on this track - with the exception of the acoustic guitars that were played by Ben Taaca and the Soprano Sax performed by David Choy.
"Something to Give" was originally released on a 2 song CD single along with their hit remake of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and it was an overnight success: selling out at Tower Records Keeaumoku on the first weekend it was released - Regional Manager Matt Koenig called me frantically and said "we need 10,000 more units ASAP!"
This version of "Something to Give" is the “Got Groove Remix” from the “Best of Flyin’ Hawaiian Entertainment Vol. 3 because the original "Hands of Time" CD is out of print.
CHANT's award winning album was nominated for Contemporary Album of the Year and Best New Group at the 1999 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards (CHANT performed on the award show telecast).
At the 1999 Hawaii Music Awards, CHANT walked away with R&B Group of the Year and Best Graphics. CHANT appeared twice on MTV's Real World Hawaii and the Miss Hawaii pageant telecast. CHANT also held a 9 month engagement performing at the Esprit Lounge at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel on Thursday and Friday nights where we set new records for alcohol sales and once again brought a local crowd back to Waikiki. CHANT's last performance at Esprit was Millenium New Year's Eve where we rang in the 21st century.
CHANT also got the opportunity to work in the studio with the Japanese super group TUBE and Hawaiian Superstar Kealii Reichel- singing vocals on "The Road That Never Ends" on his Melelana CD. Video footage of that recording session was included in Edgy Lee's film "The Hawaiians" which was featured at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.
Here is CHANT and I in the studio with Keali'i Reichel www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAQ3dEW5D24
"Everyday is Christmas in my heart and it all begins with you" is my favorite line from "Something to Give" by CHANT - an original Christmas song that has become an Island Classic and still played on
