A conversation with Hear in Color

One of the stand-out qualities of Hear in Color is that they aren’t just an up-and-coming band—they’re a tight-knit family of musicians looking to share meaningful art with the world. They seamlessly finish each other’s thoughts, frequently laughing together as they recall anecdotes about their experiences as a unit. I was initially intimidated by the prospects of interviewing seven people over Zoom, but as soon as they all logged onto the call, their chemistry made it easy to chat for nearly an hour.

Hear in Color, a six-piece band from our very own Bay Area, blends a variety of influences to achieve a sound that is emotive yet cool and collected. With the release of their latest EP, Last Thoughts, it is clear that the band’s sound has matured and developed over time. They sound like they could have easily been playing together for many years, despite having only met two years ago at community college. The band is composed of Faith Donithan (lead vocals), Gerardo “Jr.” González (keys, guitar, backing vocals), Isaiah Selva (guitar, synth, backing vocals), Eli Lozano (bass guitar, production), and Valente McNamer (drums). The EP was also produced and mixed by Ethan Brown, who joined them for the interview.

What’s even more impressive is that this EP was created during the pandemic, with the band spending endless hours transferring files to one another for review. The band actually hasn’t yet played live together as a whole, though guitarist Isaiah says that having more members in the band “gave it a more human vibe” and a more raw feel.

“We all met at DVC (Diablo Valley College). I met Jr. in my math class, and I hadn’t written a song ever, like in my whole life. He introduced me to Isaiah and all the music people, and we just started making music,” says lead vocalist Faith Donithan. What started out as a small group of musicians eventually became Hear in Color around the end of 2019.

Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, the band has managed to develop their sound and still remain close as both collaborators and friends. When asked about their favorite part of working together as a band, each member’s answer revealed a bit about themselves as individuals and as a group.

Valente McNamer: I like knowing each individual and seeing their personality shine through their instrument.

Eli Lozano: I really love seeing a tiny little idea, like one little seed blow up into a full-blown song. We go from two chords and then a couple of months later it’s a track you can hear on Spotify. Some of my favorite stuff is outside of the music. I remember one day when Valente went to record drums at Ethan’s. That day I didn’t record anything for the EP…That was one of the most fun days I’ve had. Those are the best moments.

Ethan Brown: It gets stressful at times but we’re able to have fun with it.

The band is able to channel their collective emotions into their music-making process, especially in their EP Last Thoughts. The EP, which draws on a variety of influences from emo to indie rock, is short and sweet, leaving the listener to meditate on their own thoughts and experiences up until its conclusion. “Never Ends,” a dreamy track about transcending the monotony of everyday life, stands out from the EP—not only to listeners like me but to the band members themselves.

Faith Donithan: I think we wrote that at the end of summer. I work at Peet’s Coffee. During the pandemic, especially at a coffee shop, people were just so angry and rude. Not all the time, but sometimes. I was like, “this feels like it never ends,” like people not being able to just be kind.

Eli Lozano: When we did “Never Ends,” it was during the pandemic when everyone was feeling it. It was just that moment when you’re like, “Wow, what’s going on!” I think releasing that into the song helped me personally, just playing bass and hearing the lyrics Faith was coming up, helped me. And I hope that helps other people.

Isaiah Selva: I like how the chorus on that one is just repetitive, but it works so well. We don’t need to say anything more than that. I always think that less is more.

What stood out to me the most during our conversation was the band’s collective empathy and passion for humankind. Not only do they dedicate themselves to their practice, but it is evident that they are compelled to make a difference with the music they create.

Gerardo “Jr.” González: As artists, we devote so much time to whatever our craft is…it’s kind of like we’re putting all this time into these instruments and getting to be able to show people, with what we release, what we’re able to come up with. I don’t want to say it’s our duty, but as artists, we have this responsibility to show people that we’re feeling things too, and we’re with people. A lot of times our artistry really is for other people.

Isaiah Selva: I think that’s why people make art, to feel some sort of fulfillment and togetherness, and to feel like a part of something.