From a rough week to a good party: Hiahli turns hard times into joy
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When vocalist Ryan Tetzloff found himself temporarily jobless after a move from Colorado to the Twin Cities, he saw opportunity.
“I must have been, like, broke or something when I was writing the lyrics,” he said. “I must be having like, a week.”
He remixed that rough patch into a hands-in-the-air anthem. The song is called “None of My Hands” and came out last month.
Tetzloff knew a rough week with finances was a familiar story. He wanted to remind people that “you can either laugh at it or you can cry at it.”
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He and Jason Boynton started the group Hiahli five years ago after having decades-long music careers of their own. After spontaneously performing together during a show in Fargo, they realized starting a band was inevitable.
The mix of their styles and personalities just worked. Tetzloff smiles constantly as he speaks. He often chuckles when talking about the band and how much joy making music brings him. Boynton is less animated, but just as passionate.
“Stoicism in human form,” Tetzloff said, referencing Boynton’s tranquil, reserved bass performance.
Their creative process couldn’t be more similar. They’re both inspired by community-driven music making and an innovative sound.
From shared vision to a van-born song
On the road, Tetzloff brought the song to the band while in the van.
The song resonated.
“That's his style. It's troubadour. Like, you can follow what he's saying, and what he is saying will definitely paint a picture. I don't think everyone can do that. I don't think everyone does that,” Boynton said.
“We got to thinking, how can we bring this thing from point A to point B? How can we flesh it out, add some extra life?”
Over the next few months, they refined the song together. With band mates spread out across the Midwest and further, they built the song like a puzzle.
This song features musicians that are their friends, like trumpet player Aquiles Navarro and their bandmates like Caitlynn Daniels.
“Caitlin adds another layer of, like, sunshiny happiness while she is talking about being broke,” Boynton said. “I don't know, somehow it's like a zen thing.”
Hiahli calls itself “a hip hop band that plays rock and roll instruments,” Boynton said.
It’s something that makes the band accessible to a wide range of music tastes: Tetzloff raps, while the music is rock and roll. Boynton is on the bass with a soloist who adds in a nice hook or chorus.
This blend of genres has sparked a following wherever they bring their music, but especially when they perform in Fargo, where the two founders met.
“We take this seriously, but we don't necessarily take ourselves so seriously,” Tetzloff said. “I'm really just trying to get, like, a positive, easy to understand message, and then just like, a reason to put your hands in the air.”
It ties back to the idea that inspired the band’s name. When Tetzloff studied abroad in the Basque Country, he learned of the word “Jai alai” which is both a sport, but also means “merry festival” or “good party.”
They changed the spelling, but kept the word’s meaning: Hiahli wants to share a good party.
Hiahli will be at the Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge on Thursday. "None of My Hands" is out now.
