Kaleo (band)
Kaleo (stylized as KALEO) is an Icelandic blues rock band which formed in Mosfellsbær in 2012. It consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Jökull Júlíusson, drummer David Antonsson, bassist Daniel Kristjansson, lead guitarist Rubin Pollock and harmonicist Þorleifur Gaukur Davíðsson. They have released three studio albums, Kaleo (2013), A/B (2016), and Surface Sounds (2021),[1] as well as the EP Glasshouse (2013).
Kaleo
Mosfellsbær, Iceland
2012
–present
- Jökull Júlíusson or JJ
- Davíð Antonsson
- Daníel Kristjánsson
- Rubin Pollock
- Þorleifur Gaukur Davíðsson
A/B has sold over one million albums worldwide. Its second single, "Way Down We Go", was certified double platinum in the US and reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart on 20 August 2016.[2][3] Kaleo received a Grammy Award nomination in 2017 for Best Rock Performance for the song "No Good".[4]
History[edit]
2012–2013: Early years and self-titled album[edit]
Best friends since attending elementary school outside of Reykjavik, band leader JJ, drummer David Antonsson, and bassist Daniel Kristjansson began playing together at the age of 17 before adding guitarist Rubin Pollock to the mix in 2012. They named the band Kaleo, which means "the voice" in Hawaiian, and started their career with a handful of well-received shows at the 2012 Iceland Airwaves music festival, which was the band's first major public appearance.[5] Kaleo gained fame after covering the song "Vor í Vaglaskógi" which received heavy rotation on Icelandic state broadcaster RÚV's radio station Rás 2 and was featured on the station's top 10 list.[6] This song is also featured in the first episode of the TV series Trapped. By year's end, Kaleo had signed with Sena, the country's main record label. Their self-titled debut went gold in their home country, spawning five number-one hits and inspiring their first European tour.[7]
Musical style[edit]
Kaleo's music has been influenced by genres such as blues rock, indie folk and alternative rock.[28] In an interview with Rolling Stone, frontman JJ explained, "Growing up I was listening to a lot of American music and blues artists and such and that was what kind of connected us."[29][30] Their blues influences are mainly drawn from Delta blues which was the target for some of the heavier songs in their album A/B.[31] Their music prominently features a distinctive resonator sound.[32]
Lead singer JJ has given influences such as Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana and Jim Morrison,[31] while critics liken their music to that of Hozier, Ray LaMontagne,[28] Led Zeppelin, Cream and ZZ Top.[33]
Media appearances[edit]
The group has made multiple appearances on late night television shows including Conan,[34] Jimmy Kimmel Live![35] Late Night with Seth Meyers[36] and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.[37]
Their single "Way Down We Go" has been featured in many TV shows including Blindspot, The Blacklist, Lucifer, Supergirl, Grey's Anatomy, The Vampire Diaries, Riverdale, Training Day, Suits, Teen Wolf, The Night Shift, This Is Us and Underground, as well as trailers/promos for The Good Fight, Quantico, Orange Is the New Black, Empire, The Leftovers and Logan, among others.[38]
Kaleo's 'I can't go on without you' was used on the Sky Italy produced Petra TV detective series (Series 1, Episode 4 - 2020).
Several Kaleo songs including "Way Down We Go", "Hot Blood", "No Good", "All the Pretty Girls" and "Glass House" have been featured in FIFA 16,[39] Madden NFL 17,[40] NHL 18,[41] Far Cry 5,[42] The Crew 2,[43] Rocksmith 2014[44] and Asphalt 9: Legends.[45] Their song "Automobile" was used in Collateral Beauty[46] and "Break my Baby" features in the video game MLB The Show 20.
The band is made up of:[47]