They're the act that has come to be known as a staple to the island music industry and now, after a short break away, Kolohe Kai is making a comeback.

One Love fans will be the first to experience it.

'Life has changed a lot for Kolohe Kai,” says lead singer and songwriter Roman De Perlta.

The once five-piece group has taken a new direction, and while Roman is still supported by its original members he says the new journey is relatively solo.

'Jasmine has had two babies, some of us have gotten married and we tend to only come together for gigs.

'But in the studio the producers and I have been working to bring Kolohe Kai's music together and ready to learn so we can all jam.

'We've been recording our new album and trying to narrow down 17 songs to share with our fans.

'All in all we've been trying to keep up with life, make new music and just live the Hawaii life.”

Kolohe Kai was last in New Zealand for One Love in 2017.

'Our last show at One Love was probably the best show I've ever performed in my life, it was epic.

'One Love is such a fun concert which brings out such a great range of more than 20,000 people. For us even a hundred New Zealanders at a concert has great energy, but make that 20,000 and the energy is through the roof.

'Every time we go to New Zealand we always feel the aloha spirit and the genuineness of our audience. Our Maori and kiwi fans, every single one of them, brings such a good energy.

'I'm getting so excited for One Love 2019 because a new album is going to be dropped right before we get there.”

Roman says the dates for the album have not yet been confirmed, but he can promise it will definitely be out before the event.

'That's going to be so exciting for our fans to share new music on the stage.”

Kolohe Kai fans were treated to a taster of some of this new music earlier this year when their new single Heartstrings was released, the first single to come from the band in a matter of years.

'Heartstrings is a new pop island style of music we wanted to bring out, just to show people a different side to our music.

'It's been pretty well received, it's had one million streams on Spotify and YouTube and it's our highest streamed song we've released yet.

'It's only taken a short amount of time to get there as well and we're all really proud.”

Roman says the song has not yet been performed to a live concert audience, but he's looking forward to when he does.

'It's definitely going to be an exciting piece to perform when it comes, and we can't wait to perform it at One Love.

'The material and the playfulness of our music is what separates us from most reggae groups.

'Kolohe Kai started as a very high school, teeny-bopper style of band – it was very teenage orientated with that puppy love syndrome and playful surfer boy mentality.

'Things haven't really changed in terms of this surfer-boy style but I would say what makes us different is the playfulness of our music.

'We're really proud of this new music and we're hoping people will love it too.”

Kolohe Kai is one of 16 acts which have been announced for One Love 2019, which is being held at Tauranga Doman, January 26-27.

The first line-up also includes acts such as UB40, Ky-Mani Marley, FIJI and Maxi Priest with more to be announced.