作曲對於我來說就和呼吸一樣自然;這是上天的禮物,我從未因遭受不幸而拋棄掉自己的這一天賦,這仍然是這些日子裡最大的慰藉之源……很多時候有口難開,我會覺得這些時間漫長而孤獨,但這些(孤寂而漫長的)時間一旦被音樂靈感的表達所占據和撫慰後,時間就一晃而過而且充滿樂趣了。(To compose was as natural to me as to breathe; and this gift of nature, never having been suffered to fall into disuse, remains a source of the greatest consolation to this day.[…] Hours of which it is not yet in place to speak, which I might have found long and lonely, passed quickly and cheerfully by, occupied and soothed by the expression of my thoughts in music.)
軟禁之後,她被勒令不得接觸文學作品和報紙,這就使得她與民眾的聯繫被切斷。但是政府允許她接觸紙和筆,所以她還是能夠在拘押期間繼續從事音樂創作。她自己表示,她“即使(生活上)有一些不便利(和不順心),但還是能在音樂創作中找到很大的慰藉”("found, notwithstanding disadvantages, great consolation in composing")。
利留卡拉尼是一個比較和氣的人,也支持和平的對抗方式(peaceful resistance)。她將音樂創作作為一種對人民、國家和夏威夷政壇之情感的表達方式。她的政見能夠從她的音樂作品中反映出來。一個例證便是她所著的夏威夷創世神話頌歌"Kumulipo"的英文譯本。在被關押的日子裡,她因害怕自己不會有活著走出軟禁地的一天,便將"Kumulipo"譯成英文,以備外來文化入侵本地後,她和她子民從前的歷史和文化不至於會因為沒有記載而輕易丟失掉。另一部作品"Aloha Oe"是在之前就創作好的,直到軟禁期間才翻譯為英文。她曾寫道:“一開始我也沒有什麼樂器,於是不得不只靠聲音(進行歌曲創作等工作)。但是我發現,儘管困難不少,還是能從作曲和翻譯許多歌曲的過程中找到很大慰藉的。有3首歌曲有幸離開了軟禁地,被送到了芝加哥,它們在那兒被印刷發行。其中的"Aloha Oe",或譯作《與汝告別》,還成了非常熱門的歌曲。”("At first I had no instrument, and had to transcribe the notes by voice alone; but I found, notwithstanding disadvantages, great consolation in composing, and transcribed a number of songs. Three found their way from my prison to the city of Chicago, where they were printed, among them the "Aloha Oe" or "Farewell to Thee," which became a very popular song")原本是為情人別離創作的歌曲,結果被視為她表達亡國哀愁的代表作品。