Composed by Meola with Luke Niccoli and Bre Kennedy, “Hope in the Ashes” features her singing joined by Willie Nelson, Lukas Nelson, Paula Fuga and Iam Tongi, with Mick Fleetwood on drums and Jake Shimabukuro on ukulele.

With lyrics that ask “for hope in the ashes,” she felt inspired to write the song after spending time on Maui following the fires. “I was in Maui for a while, kind of volunteering and helping a friend in Kula, who lost her house,” Meola explained. “I had this time scheduled with a producer in Nashville and I felt really weird leaving the island. I couldn’t be there anymore to get my hands dirty and help, but the only other way that I know how to help is to write about things. So I ended up writing that song with Luke Niccoli and this other girl, Bre Kennedy. We were all in the studio together, and I had actually just met Bre that day. It was really serendipitous how it all came about.”

Once the song was initially recorded, Meola wondered who else could perform on it to help get the message out. “I was thinking how can we get as many people to hear this song because we’re going to put it out and all the proceeds are going to the Food Bank to help people on the island that have been affected? I went through all of my favorite musicians on the island and people that have a soft spot in their heart for Maui. I reached out to a few different people and asked Paula and Willie and Lukas and a handful of others and Iam Tongi. I just thought the more people who could help share this message and keep the topic relevant in our news, then the more help we’re going to get on the island.”

While the song is specific to Maui, it has universal appeal with an important, inspirational message of resilience and hope for anyone enduring conflict and devastation in the world. “That would be wonderful if it can comfort others who are finding themselves in a tragedy like that,” she said.

Besides raising funds, Meola hopes the song will “comfort those who were affected by it and had to experience such a horrific thing. I’m also hopeful to keep it relevant in the world.”

Born and raised on Maui, Meola auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” in 2022, and earned a Golden Buzzer from judge Heidi Klum. The live performance of her original song “Daydream” so far has 33 million YouTube views.

Meola’s early career was championed by Willie Nelson. She went on tour with the country star and sang a duet, “Will You Remember Mine,” on his album “To All the Girls,” which also featured Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow. Her debut album “They Say,” included duets with Nelson and fellow Maui resident Kris Kristofferson. In March 2022, she released the EP “Daydream,” which featured five new songs, including the memorable “Got Your Way.”

On May 10, she will release a new song, “Cowboy,” followed by more new songs including “Gasoline” and “Heartbreak Rodeo,” and finally an EP.

Recently on the road touring with Lukas Nelson, she was joined by Nashville based female musicians Bre Kennedy and Melissa Fuller. “They came on the Lukas tour with me,” she said. “They both have their own artist projects as well. I’m very lucky that they joined me. We’ve been writing songs together too, which has been really a beautiful thing.”