Today we’d like to introduce you to Whorled.
Hi Whorled, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Mariko and Keala met in the womb — and it seems they’ve been playing music together since then.
Thom met them both by chance at a traditional Irish session in a hole-in-the-wall cafe near Grand Rapids, Michigan. They noticed an immediate musical affinity. Within a couple weeks, the three of them were jamming around together — the magic was immediate, and they were soon creating their own signature fusion style albeit in relative obscurity during the COVID lockdown period. As public venues started to re-open in 2022, Whorled gained immediate critical acclaim in West Michigan’s music scene. Their debut album, “Reimagined”, released in 2023, won two WYCE Jammie Awards and three of their tunes landed on WYCE’s top 100 spins of 2023.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The first couple years seemed soooo smooth, gigs started coming right and left, and the 2023 debut album seemed easy to put together. As we’ve started to become more intentional about who we are as musicians, our vision for the band, and our “sound”, this has made it necessary to juxtapose each of our perspectives and somehow meld them together in a way that makes sense to each one of us. The second CD has gone much more slowly than the first, but hopefully all that intentionality will be reflected in the final product.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
* what do we do? We produce and perform music that re-imagines folk music from around the world. We like to surprise audiences with how we arrange compositions and take them on a playful journey. Described by Local Spins as “a road trip for the ears,” Whorled transports their audiences around the globe with a fresh blend of re-imagined Celtic, bluegrass, French Café, and jazz influences.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We often invite other Michigan musicians to join us as guest artists, both in our festival performances and on our studio projects, including people like Carolyn Koebel, Dede Alder, Sam Nalangira, and Cameron Blake.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whorledband.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whorled_band/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Whorled
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whorledband/videos
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/39fU7VSlJmUtQhIFlUcQDc
