Hiatus Kaiyote | Artist

Hiatus Kaiyote is an Australian neo-soul band formed 2011 in Melbourne by Naomi "Nai Palm" Saalfield (vocals, guitar), Paul Bender (bass, production), Simon Mavin (keyboards) and Perrin Moss (drums, production). The band began forming in 2010 when Nai Palm performed a solo show in Melbourne that was witnessed by Paul Bender. After the show, Bender approached Palm and suggested a collaboration. They recruited Perrin Moss and Simon Mavin in 2011 and formed Hiatus Kaiyote. Mavin was then a member of The Bamboos but left that band to focus on Hiatus Kaiyote. The band's musical style is "future soul" which has been described as "modern jazz, polyrhythmic time structures, labyrinthine explorations of 1970s funk, scat-singing, samba, West African soul, pastoral prog rock in the style of Weather Report and Gentle Giant, sprawling electric fusion and elemental rhythms". The song "Breathing Underwater" from the album Choose Your Weapon was nominated for Best R&B Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards. Outstanding releases include the albums Tawk Tomahawk (2012), Choose Your Weapon (2015), Mood Valiant (2021), Love Heart Cheat Code (2024) and the EPs Live in Revolt (2013) and Recalibrations Vol 1 (2016). Nai Palm has also issued the excellent solo album Needle Paw (2017). Also Paul Bender has issued solo albums plus has a side-project with Simon Marvin called The Sweet Enoughs, which has released an album of exotica music Marshmallow (2020). Hiatus Kaiyote played their first gig at the 2011 Bohemian Masquerade Ball among sword swallowers, fire twirlers, and gypsy death core bands. in 2014 they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance for "Nakamarra." They were the first Australian act to be nominated for a Grammy in an R&B category.

Artist Website: hiatuskaiyote.com

Featured Albums: Hiatus Kaiyote

Related Artists: Nai Palm, The Sweet Enoughs