Lehua Sandbo was one of the last Coconuts Musume

I forget where I got this from, but it was right around the time after she got married.
I didn't take this interview...

"Hey guys! I got a chance to interview Lehua Sandbo from Hawaii! (ex member of Coconuts Musume) She got me in on the scoop of her life in Coconuts Musume, and Hawaii! She also got a chance to visit my site! Check it out!


Q&A!


(Q)1.There has been a lot of controversy over prenouncing your name. So how exactly do you prenounce it

(A)Lay-who-ah (Lehua)

(Q)2.Favorites:

(Q)Color:
(A)Orange

(Q)Food:

(A)Italian, Hawaiian, and Japanese Beef Bowls (which I MISS SO MUCH!!)

(Q)Japanese Food:

(A)I am allergic to seafood like sushi, but I love ramen and okonomiyaki. Oishii!!!

(Q)Singer:

(A)J-Lo, Beyonce, Britney, Morning Musume...I have a lot of favorite singers!

(Q)Clothes Store:

(A)Nothing in specific. I enjoy just going to the mall and looking through all types of different stores. I always end up finding something unique in each store.

(Q)Movie:

(A)Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts) and Romeo and Juliet

(Q)Hello! Project Entertainer:

(A)Kaori and Yaguchi Mari (my all time favorites because they are so much fun!)

So lets go back to your beginning.



(Q)3.How old were you when you first discovered you had talents?


(A)I first discovered that I loved to perform at about 11 years old. I wanted to be an actress. It wasn't until 13 years old that I knew I wanted to be a singer. My first year in high school, I auditioned for the main singing and acting role in our school play, and I was absolutely excited and shocked that I got the part. That is when I knew I had some talent in me. hahaha!

(Q)4.What kind of experience did you have before joining Coconuts Musume?

(A)I did many plays in grade school and high school, I also took voice and dance lessons from many different teachers. I auditioned for many things and I think that also played a role in having experience and gaining more confidence every single time.

(Q)5.Do you have any siblings?

(A)I have an older brother named Karl.



(Q)6.What High school did you attend?

(A)St. Francis School in Manoa, Oahu (it's an all-girls private school)

(Q)7.Could you donate a small resume of all your work (Miss Hawaii Padgent, Coconuts Musume and so on)

(A)That could be possible.

(Q)8. How did you find out about Coconuts Musume auditions? What made you want to audition? (considering Japan was so far away)

(A)My Aunt Iris saw it in a newspaper and heard it on the radio, and she mentioned it to me after Sunday church. I wasn't going to audition at first because I just finished doing a play. Something just got into me and told me that I have to audition for it, so I called and they said that they already had auditions, but they would still take my resume and some pictures and would call me if they wanted to meet with me. A couple days after I had mailed everything in, I got a call saying that they wanted me to sing for them.

(Q)9. What was the audition like? Where was it held?

(A)I met with them in Waikiki and sang Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You". Either that day or the day after that, I got another call saying that I made it to the second part of the audition, which will be learning a previous Coconuts Musume song and dancing it. I was so excited and nervous!!! So, the second part of the audition, we all went to this recording studio in Honolulu and they were shocked that I was going to be singing the Japanese version rather than the English version of "Dance and Chance". I think I did okay. Then, we went to this beautiful home in Hawaii Kai and that is where we had the dance audition. It was me and 2 other girls that made it to this part of the audition. They also had us take pictures with Danielle, Mika, and Ayaka to see how we would look and blend with the group. It was a lot of fun and a great experience.

(Q)10. What did your friends and family say once you told them the news about going to Japan to be a Popstar?

(A)I found out later that day that they chose me to be the new member. I couldn't believe it at first. In fact, I couldn't believe it for a long while. I didn't really know what to expect or what was going to happen. When my family heard about it, they were so happy for me. They didn't really know what was going to happen either. I think they thought that I would go to Japan for the winter and return permanently after it was done, but it was actually a long-term deal.

(Q)11. Where did you first meet Tsunku-San, Mika, Ayaka, and Danielle, and in what manner? How was your welcome, and what were your first impressions on it all?

(A)I met Mika, Ayaka, and Danielle at the auditions in Hawaii. I was shy at first, but they are so sweet and so much fun to be around! They made me feel comfortable and always took great care of me in Japan. I first met Tsunku san (I think because it's been a long time) at the Hello Project winter dance rehearsals. I just remember him being really nice to me.

(Q)12.Did you ever meet Chelsea or April?

(A)I never had the chance to meet either of them.

(Q)13. What was all your impressions on Japan, any surprises? Was it everything you expected?

(A)I thought Japan was going to have samurai's and temples everywhere. I didn't expect them to have McDonald's either. It wad definitely a culture shock for me. I had no idea how it was going to be. I wasn't used to the traffic and big crowds!

(Q)14. How often would you miss Hawaii? How would you cope with the homesickness? How often would you go back to Hawaii and for how long?

(A)Hawaii was always in the back of mind. I missed Hawaii in general, the beach, the palm trees, and the weather. I missed my friends, and my family. Being busy everyday helped me cope with it. It was always different. The longest I stayed in Japan straight was for about 4 months. The longest I stayed in Hawaii was about 2 weeks, maybe longer at certain times. I don't really remember because it was always different. I was constantly travelling back and forth non-stop.

(Q)15. Out of Touring, Recording, Modeling or Dancing which do you prefer?

(A)I don't prefer one over the other. They are all different and so I enjoy every single one.



(Q)16. How was starring in O`Zack Potato Chips commercials for the song Watashi Mo I Love You.

(A)It was fun! It was going to be my first commercial. I was so excited. It was amazing how for just a 1 minute commercial, it took us a whole day to shoot it. It was a great experience!

(Q)17. Could you explain exactly where this Vid Cap is from?



(A)not yet answerd

(Q)18. What was your favorite song recording with Coconuts Musume?

(A)I loved our last single together, which is "Jonetsu Yuki Miraisen".

(Q)19. Interviews admit, that Mika, Danielle, and Ayaka all agreed you were silly, and a bit on the crazy side. What is your outlook on this?

(A)I don't know. I just go with the flow and try to enjoy every second. They made it easy to have fun and act a little silly! hahaha!

(Q)20. What is something good and bad about each Coconuts Musume member?

(A)Ayaka: good- she is a great leader and motivator. She is a lot of fun and smart! bad- she is very forgetful. hahaha!

Mika: good- she is funny, sweet and humble. bad- she is a little sensitive at times.

Danielle: good- she is hyper and fun to hang out with. bad- outspoken when she shouldn't be.

(Q)21. What are some of the most funniest experiences while with the Coconuts?

(A)I had a lot of them that I just cannot pinpoint one right now.

(Q)22. How was Coconuts Musumes fan base in Japan, any experiences?

(A)I think that we had great fans!



(Q)23. What did your reaction on the more mature look with the single Jounetsu Yuki Miraisen?

(A)I loved it! I felt that it was more us at the time. We were getting older and more mature and it seemed to fit us more than the cutesy image.

(Q)24. How did you feel when Danielle decided to leave the group. Why did she leave Coconuts Musume?

(A)I learned to respect her decision to leave because it is her life and that is what she wanted to do.

(Q)25. Dont take this the wrong way, but in an Interview Ayaka has said that you and Danielle were lesbians!! Although it was clear she was joking, what is your outlook on that?

(A)We were the crazy foreigners! I was sisterly close to all of them!

(Q)26. Did you ever become fluent in Japanese? What was it like with a language barrier like that?

(A)I am not fluent in Japanese, but I picked up on a lot of Japanese while I was living there. I could understand more than I could speak it. It was hard at first not being able to understand a single word, but after about a year living there, it became easier each day because I slowly began to understand more. The company also got me my own tutor and translator, so it wasn't that bad.

(Q)27. How did you do your schooling in Japan?

(A)I had a tutor and I had a computer to keep in touch with my teachers. I would take up my school work and return it to my teachers when I returned to Hawaii. My teachers were very supportive!

(Q)28. Looking back on your career in Japan, what are some of your best times you look back on with a smile? Let it all out!!

(A)My best times were during concerts. I loved the feeling of having people enjoy the music that you work so hard at. I loved the girls in Hello Project and how we could get along and try having conversations in English and Japanese. I loved eating out in Japan with the members and managers! I loved the fans! I loved the feeling at the end of a hard days work!

(Q)29. When and why did you leave Coconuts Musume (please be detailed), Rumor is to start a College education, If this is true, what are your reasons from choosing that path? Do you plan to join Coconuts Musume or work in Japan ever again? Any regrets?

(A)I left Coconuts Musume in 2002 because I wanted to attend college here in Hawaii. You never know where life leads you. I will definitely return to visit everyone. I do not have any regrets. It was an awesome experience!

(Q)30. What was the reaction to Mika, Ayaka, Tsunku-San, Friends, and your Family when you decided to quit Coconuts Musume? Were you given a celebration of some sort before your departure?

(A)They were shocked at first, but very understanding and supportive about my decision to leave. At my last concert, we just had a farewell.

(Q)31. Do you ever get to keep copies of your own Cds? What do you do with them? (framed on your wall, in your attic..?)

(A)They did give me copies of everything that I was in. I keep everything in storage so that one day I'll be able to show my children and grandchildren. I have our CD posters hanging on the wall.

(Q)32. What is your opinion on the fact that there has not been a Coconuts Musume album released?

(A)It was hard because the group members were constantly changing and it takes a lot of time out of work with our own members when that happens.

(Q)33. What is your relationship with Hello! Project and Tsunku-San now?

(A)I still keep in touch with Mika, Danielle, Ayaka, and other people in Hello Project.

(Q)34. Are you a fan of J-pop (Japanese Pop Music)?

(A)Definitely.

(Q)35. So now for the big question Marrige!!

(A)Yes, I am married!

(Q)36. Which is your name now, Nahina or Sandbo?

(A)It's Lehua Nahina now! hahaha!



(Q)37. When, Where and How did you meet Kapono Nahina? Is he good looking? (do you have a picture of him you could donate?) Has any members of Coconuts Musume met him?



(A)I met Kapono at a reggae concert in Hawaii. Yes, he is good looking (and I am proud to say that he has Japanese). He is a professional longboarder surfer in Hawaii and you can find pictures of him on the web. You can try: www.tcsurf.com click on team, kapono nahina, pro, and photos to see him. The members have not met him YET, but they know about him and have seen pictures.

(Q)38. Was Coconuts Musume invited to the wedding? (If not, why not?)

(A)It was very small. We are renewing our vows in June 2004 and they will definitely be invited, but with their busy schedules, I don't know if they'll be able to make it.

(Q)39. Do you expect any kids in the near future?

(A)Last but not least Surprise! I just had a baby girl 1 month ago. Her name is Kaianna Lehualani Nahina and she is adorable!

(Q)40. What has been going on in your life now? Like, What is an average day for you?

(A)Right now, I am a busy mommy and i love it!

(Q)41. What do you and Kapono Nahina do for a living?

(A)Kapono is a professional longboarder surfer and a carpenter. I am staying home for now, but will be going back to college in August to become a registered nurse.

(Q)42. What is your contact with Danielle, Mika, and Ayaka? Do you and Danielle visit often?

(A)I still keep in touch with them via e-mail, cards, or phone. We all wanted to get together and have a reunion one day.

(Q)43. When was your last meeting with Mika & Ayaka, Are you aware they are still part of Coconuts Musume in Japan? How updated are you with their careers?

(A)The last time I saw them was my last day in Japan. When I talk to them, they keep me updated with everything in Japan.

Last but not least..

(Q)44. If you ever received an award for being in Coconuts Musume, who would you thank?

(A)I would thank God, my family, friends, Coconuts Musume members, all the other members in Hello Project, Tsunku san, and my management in Japan. And definitely to all the fans!"



Ryouchanx4's note:
Currently Mika Taressa Todd isn't in Coconuts Musume She has graduated and gone off to preform a bit solo and a bit studies in LA