Troy/Cheesa

TROY AND CHEESA LAURETA “A NEW BEGINNING” Troy and Cheesa Laureta are two Filipino-American siblings who have been performing together as a brother-sister act for nearly 7 years. Currently residing in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, they have been seen performing all over the islands, as well as abroad. The “Laureta Kids,” as many older locals call them, have made a local name for themselves as the “Pinoy Stevie Wonder/Alicia Keys” of Oahu. Starting in 1997, Troy served as the pianist for the duet, while Cheesa served as the lead vocalist, singing songs from Mariah Carey to the musical, Annie. It was not until 1998 that Cheesa inspired Troy to sing with her as a duo act. Their debut performance as a duet singing group was held at a college auditorium for singing recital. Their premiere song was Alicia Key’s number called “Loving U,” where Troy made his debut performance singing and playing his instrument, the piano. It was from this moment where Troy and Cheesa realized that they could make it in the music world singing together and playing instruments. Under the direction of Society of Seven’s William Daquioag, the siblings shaped their musical style and improved their voices. Within a couple of months, Troy and Cheesa were already performing a number of songs beyond their years, such as Etta James, Queen, Motown, and their favorite, Alicia Keys. It is described by many that the brother-sister act is a trip back to time, for they are constantly re-making old hits and making them new again. The most common medley the two sing is a mix of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,“ and Chaka Khan’s “Through The Fire.“ Adding their unique, neo-soul vibe to these “oldies,” they make it enjoyable for both the old and the young. However, they still stay true to their youthful personality. Troy describes their style as a mix of Beethoven meets Beyonce, Stevie Wonder meets Tupac, and Alicia Keys meets Elvis Presley. “Many people don’t know that I am such a big fan of hip-hop. My sister and I sing oldies, but I am such a huge fan of Lauryn Hill, Tupac, Biggie… I try to incorporate hip-hop style into re-making these oldies, but goodies. Hopefully, I can let the youth, my generation, appreciate these older songs that served as gateways and even inspirations for the many songs we hear today,“ Troy adds. The two are very eclectic and attribute their mixed style to their parents who constantly played different types of music at home and exposed their children to different genres at a very young age. Now, the Laureta’s call this unique style the “FOB Vibe,” because it’s a mix of styles. They try to mix styles that wouldn’t sound like such a good idea at first. The result is a soulful melody mixed with a number of genres from jazz to hip-hop to blues to R&B. Troy and Cheesa are currently constructing their debut album. The album takes a dramatic trip towards the concepts of love, hate, life, and what else? Party! They hope that they will soon be able to share their God-given talents and unique style with the rest of the world. For now, you can find them singing on the beautiful paradise of Hawaii.