Hawaiian reggae favourites Ekolu (Lukela Keala, Makapu Ho’opii and Joshua “Kale” Kahele) have released their own take on the ’80s classic ‘Take My Breath Away’.
Originally made famous by Berlin on the Top Gun soundtrack, Ekolu give the song a lovers rock and island reggae feel, lifting the tempo while keeping the emotion and familiarity of the original.
For founder and lead singer Lukela Keala, it’s a song he’s wanted to record for years. So when the band started putting together an album of ’80s favourites, there was no question it would make the cut.
“I’ve wanted to do this song for about 15 years. It’s always been right at the top of my list for this album,” says Lukela.
Ekolu have been making music for more than 27 years, releasing 13 albums and clocking up over 250 million streams along the way. Their latest album, Strictly Originals, arrived at the end of 2025, followed by a Reggae Album of the Year win at the 2026 Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards.
‘Take My Breath Away’ follows the band’s version of a-ha’s ‘Take On Me’, released earlier this year, and is the second release from their forthcoming 14th album.
The new record will see Ekolu recording their own versions of the ’80s songs they grew up listening to.