Willie Nelson, Mick Fleetwood and others contribute to Lily Meola’s song ‘Hope in the Ashes’ to aid Maui wildfire victims
When Maui was hit by a devastating fire last August, the nation collectively grieved. For singer and songwriter Lily Meola, who was born and raised on Maui, the heartbreak ran deep. So, she did what she does best—poured her pain and feelings into song. Initially revealed in a rare live performance on her Instagram account, “Hope in the Ashes,” is now available everywhere you get your music with all proceeds from the song being donated to the Maui Food Bank.
The song, written by Meola, Luke Niccoli, and Bre Kennedy, features vocals by Meola along with the legendary Willie Nelson, his son Lukas Nelson, and Hawaiian artist Paula Fuga (who’s worked with Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley, and others). The song also features Mick Fleetwood of the iconic rock band Fleetwood Mac on drums and Hawaiian ʻukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro on ʻukulele.
“I wrote this song in the aftermath of the fires on Maui, my home island,” said Meola. “Its purpose is to bring hope to those affected and to shed light on the ongoing situation. The healing from this tragedy will require love for years to come. A group of Hawaiʻi artists have joined me in creating this song to help spread this message.”
“Hope in the Ashes” is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Soundcloud, Tidal, Deezer, and qobuz here: lilymeola.ffm.to/hopeintheashes.
To donate directly to the Maui Food Bank, go to: mauifoodbank.org/donate/
The Maui fire is considered the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century devastating the Hawaiian island of Maui in August 2023, claiming at least 101 lives, and leveling the historic town of Lahaina, according to Maui County officials. The fire ranks among the top 10 deadliest US wildfires on record since 1871, and it is the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaiʻi’s history, surpassing the deadly tsunami in 1960. Hawaiʻi Gov. Josh Green estimates damages at nearly $6 billion. As of the end of March 2024, more than 3,100 individuals remained displaced in hotels, with efforts underway for long-term accommodations.
Lily Meola’s love of music blossomed in the passenger seat of her mom’s car listening to legendary artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King. Lily began performing around Maui in local bars and cafes at the young age of 11. Mentored by super-producer Bob Rock, Lily learned to write songs with Jackson Browne, recorded duets with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Lukas Nelson, and co-wrote Andra Day single, “Amen.” Her latest release, Over the Moon, is out now. For more information on Lily Meola, visit www.lilymeolamusic.com/.
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