Koyal explains who, what, when, where, why and how
Koyal is one of my most beloved young bands from the Atlanta market. This indie rock act consists of Pooja, Noah and Henry… three really cool ass talented folks. We’ve had the pleasure of having them perform their energetic set on a few shows, including 404 Day - Live from SOBATL (2023). Take a few minutes to learn a little about their 5 Ws and 1 H.
Zuko) Who do you think is the greatest artist/band of all time?
Koyal) Fleetwood Mac.
Zuko) What you been listening to?
Koyal) The Age of Pleasure by Janelle Monáe
Jaguar by Victoria Monet
Morning by William Wild
Watch Her Go by Bien
Only For A Moment by Lola Marsh.
Zuko) When did you want to become a professional musician/artist?
Koyal) There was never a "when" only an "always" :)
Zuko) Where are your favorite venues to play?
Koyal) Georgia Theatre Rooftop in Athens was magical as it felt like a Beatles moment. It's one of our favorite venues, and UGA sure knows how to party :)
World Cafe Live in Philly is super classy, and they serve only the best food, drinks, and tunes. Noah (our guitarist) grew up seeing some of his favorite artists play here, and so it was incredibly special to play there years later. Hozier performed a week earlier!
Fete Musical Hall in Rhode Island had the most unique and quirky decorations, and some local coffee milk afterwards hit in just the right way.
REM's bassist Mike Mills showed up to our gig at The Nick in Birmingham! His appearance made it quite the memorable night, resulting in the addition of his name to our guest list for every successive show.
Zuko) Why do you make music?
Koyal) We make music we enjoy listening to, and to authentically express our own experience. We also make music for the magical feeling of getting lost in a sound or a flow.
When you hear a great song, you feel like the artist truly understands you, even when you haven't quite come up with the words about how to describe it.
Music feels like your best friend, a confidante, a guide, and something that transcends and adds immense meaning to life.
It's also an obsessive and compulsory practice. We make music because we have to make music. It's the only way we as musicians can be true to our spirit!
Zuko) How do feel about the local music scene in your city?
Koyal) We love Atlanta's music scene! We regularly play with our favorite local bands like Khaliko, Desmond Myers, Forrest Isn't Dead, at our favorite venues, The Masquerade, City Winery, and Smith's Olde Bar!
Our favorite local record store is Criminal Records, located in the incredibly artsy Little 5 Points. We hosted an EP release show here, and it was such a fun time (video: https://youtu.be/qLgOgvhcBuU?feature=shared). They love supporting local music, and we have Koyal CDs available here!
We've also been a part of amazing networking events and songwriting camps with ATL Collective, a non-profit which exists to connect and empower Atlanta's musical community!
