Asian indie pop rock band Howan draws inspiration from a diverse mix of rhythmic funk, Midwest emo, and math rock. As non-natives living in the Bay, their music blends fable-like storytelling with reflections on overseas experiences and hometown nostalgia, creating a uniquely free-spirited “Howan vibe.”
We interviewed bandmember Fei in advance of Howan’s set at the Bay Beats Launch Party at the Richmond Branch Library in SF this Saturday, November 2. We look forward to seeing you there!
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Where did you grow up and how long have you lived in the Bay Area
Our band has four members: the guitarist, drummer, and keyboardist are from mainland China, and the bassist is from Taiwan. Fei (guitarist) and Jing (drummer) have been living in the Bay Area for seven years, while Wenhui (keyboardist) and Rann (bassist) moved to the Bay Area in 2019.
Describe your path to making music.
In 2017, Fei picked up the guitar after moving to the Bay Area and then started this band with Jing, who had already participated in music festival performances during college in China.
In 2019, Wenhui joined the band. Wenhui has been learning composition/arrangement since she was young and also has rich knowledge in sound design. With her support in arrangement, sampling, and mixing, we decided to take this project seriously.
In 2022, we completed most of the songwriting and arrangement in our last album and started looking for a bassist so the band has a more complete lineup.
We enjoy performing and hope to record our lives and friendship in our music.
Do you have any new releases coming up?
We’re working on our next EP, which will have about 3-4 songs, and it’ll likely be released in the first half of 2025.
How does the Bay Area influence the music you make?
Living in the Bay Area is a very happy thing. Life here is relaxed, which also influences our music. That’s why our music sounds cheerful and bright. Because we live in the Bay Area, we have many shows to watch every day and are constantly inspired by so many artists around the world. We also listen to a lot of local bands like Covet and Chon. We also tried to add some math rock elements into our last album.
Which up-and-coming Bay Area artists are you most excited about?
Cottonseed, Mayari, Still Deer and Girls Swallows Nightingale
Do you have any hopes or predictions for the local music scene?
I hope there will be more support programs for local musicians and music performances.
See Howan play alongside Grooblen, Peña, the Kathy Kallick Band, and ronny ronny ronny (DJ) this Saturday, November 2 at the SF Richmond Branch Library.
