You may have seen Haniwa recently perform at AMP Fest and now in this Creator Conversation, the band answers questions about their music, what gives them all the feels, what to do with a dodecahedron, and more.
How do you describe yourself and your music?
We are a mixture of indie pop, broody art kid stuff, and dank memes. We try to highlight each member’s personality in our music.
What got you interested in music and sharing it with others?
SHAWN: I always grew up loving music and tended to surround myself with it pretty naturally. I think that if you have the bug for something, and it gives you joy, at some point you want to share that enjoyment with others. In the case of music, everyone has a unique background as far as what inspires them so anyone brings a fresh perspective when they share their music.
Who are some of your musical influences?
SHAWN: I would say Jazz, Hip-hop, and heavier music have really inspired me over the years. If I had to name off some of my biggest influences it would be something like Boris, Joe Pass, MF DOOM, EARTH, TLC, Flying Lotus, John Coltrane, Electric Wizard, Mastodon, and King Krule to name a handful. I listen to a lot of music so it is constantly changing.
If we put together a playlist with the rest of our influences in it I bet you would find lots of Amy Winehouse, Mew, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, 2 Knights, American Football, The Misfits, Wild Nothing, and Poliça to name a few.
Use only seven words to describe your album, Violent Sun.
Love nurtures and destroys, like the Sun.
What was the greatest challenge you had when making the album?
I think the most difficult part was to not settle for something less. To do something right you have to take your time and be okay adding more to do or redoing things that weren’t up to par.
What gives you all the feels?
Balto, feel good sports movies, and purple sunsets.
What should one do with a dodecahedron?
Well you could live in it. Or you could use it as a die for your next roleplaying experience. Maybe you could make one and wear it on your head.
What’s some beauty seldom seen in Oklahoma?
When you leave the city the sky gets so big here. Being able to get far enough away from the city and see all of the stars is a pretty sobering experience.
In the cities there is such a young art scene that is full of some really innovative people. And I don’t just mean visual arts or music, there are plenty of amazing restaurants. Oh and Pho bruh.
Anything else you want to say or let people know?
You should check us out on all of your favorite social media outlets. Use @haniwaband to find us on Insta, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also check out our new album on most streaming services such as Tidal, Spotify, and Apple Music. Also, we love all of you.
