Hilo (pron. hē-lō) is a soundtrack of transformation, of leaving who one is in order to become who one needs to be.

In 2014, my life was turned upside down when I learned I had been adopted. Everything I thought I knew about my origin was untrue, a fabrication. As an artist, I began to produce music that became an audio description of my life during this experience, from thoughts and feelings of levity and absurdity, to despair and prolapse. All the elevated emotions are documented here.

To make sense of this surprise life turn and thrive, I had to face the experience of dying while being alive, becoming reborn while trying to hold dearly to whom I'd been. All the while, I gave the experiences within my head a voice through music.

Hilo is named for the town and airport on the island of Hawaii where I first landed to meet my birth father's family. All of the tracks here were begun and edited on airplanes and trains, fitting the transformational aspects of this journey.

Art is identity. I couldn't release this album without giving the listener context for it. What you hear is the inner dialogue of adventure, illumination, anxiety, and facing a terrifying yet ultimately beautiful unknown. 

This is my story, but it is also a narrative--as old as Greek mythology--of anyone or group who has faced crisis and survived, emerging galvanized and more spiritually complete.

Allow me to take you on a ride.

Thank you: Nick Garcia for his excellent mixing and mastering assistance. Guest vocalist collaborators, John Thornley, Ameer Dyson, Bernard Farley, Rachel Wong, Patrick Baker, Brittany Sims, Alex Tebeleff, and Abbay Misganaw for giving voice to the yearning and searching aspects of these songs. My family and friends, especially Mallory, for priceless feedback and for standing with me throughout the highs and lows of this crazy experience that have came together to form this album.

Hilo

Purchase

Froggie

Owner SōMå SōMå Espresso & qube226 & Post Art Gallery & The Old Post Office Gympie - motorcyclist, ex rock climber, telecaster guitarist, grandfather, renovator, long-time Soundclouder.

Originally from East Berlin...now living in Honolulu Hawaii...with a insatiable appetite for deep house beats with fat vocals...

Washington, D.C.-based music producer and DJ. I've been making music since I was a kid.

https://willeastman.bandcamp.com

Upcoming performances:


Past:

CANCELLED March 13 DC - U Street Music Hall, Blisspop Disco Fest presents SG Lewis and Will Eastman
CANCELLED March 21 DC - Mirror Company at Backbar with Sam Burns
Jan 10 DC - Backbar with Mighty Mouse (Glitterbox/UK) and Rose Corps (Blisspop/DC)
Dec 31 NYE DC - Mirror Company (Ken Lazee/Ozker/Nick Garcia/Will Eastman b2b) at U Street Music Hall
Nov 16 DC - U Street Music Hall, Blisspop Disco Fest presents Will Eastman b2b Ozker b2b Nick Garcia with Too Free (Live)
June 29 DC - Backbar with Melvo Baptiste (Glitterbox/UK) and Rose Corps (Blisspop/DC)
May 19 DC - Lincoln Theater with Chromeo
May 22 Fairfax - Transit with DJ 0bscure b2b Oddson, DJ Al, and Katalyst
March 16 DC - U Street Music Hall BREATHE record release party with Ken Lazee and Ozker
NYE DC U Street Music Hall with Ken Lazee, Rawle Night Long, Ozker, and Kundalini
Nov 30 DC U Street Music Hall with RAC
Dec 1 DC Black Cat Backstage, Will Eastman's birthday & one last party on the Backstage!
Oct 6 DC - Flash Rooftop with Ozker and Kundalini
Sept 1 DC - Blisspop Disco Fest 9:30 Club with Giorgio Moroder and Ultra Naté
June 15 DC - Ten Tigers with Kidnap
June 1 DC - U Street Music Hall with Classixx
April 28 DC - U Street Music Hall open-to-close with special surprise guests, Hilo (Remixed) record release party
May 4 NYC - Elsewhere with Kidnap
April 21 DC - Rock and Roll Hotel, DC Brau 7 year anniversary
April 7 DC - U Street Music Hall with Claptone
Nov 11 NYC - Elsewhere with Moon Boots
Oct 28 DC - U Street Music Hall, U HELL with Amtrac
July 28 DC - U Street Music Hall b2b with Ayes Cold
June 23 DC - Kennedy Center Millennium Stage