If we haven’t met, I’m Lanakila Iesu. I’m a singer, songwriter/composer, and multi-instrumental performer based in Bonny Doon, California in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

I literally started singing in the cradle. That was my way of getting attention – no crying for me! As a baby, I treated my family to improvised “la-la” songs until somebody figured out whether I needed lunch, a dydee change, or just a little attention for its own sake.

Forty-odd years later, I’m happy to say that my message and repertoire have both evolved considerably, but the need to go beyond what I know how to put into words never has. Music remains my vehicle for speaking the truth where prose is lacking. It’s the language of the heart.

So what do I do with that language? What’s my genre? Like many musicians, I’ve never been eager to circumscribe limits around my self-expression. As one of my all-time favorite teachers once said, “the trouble with being a card-carrying member is that you have to carry the card.” I don’t want to do that. So if you’re not familiar with my music, please enjoy a few videos and decide for yourself how to describe it.

If you live in the Santa Cruz area or you’re visiting, there’s a good chance I’ll be performing live near you soon…and even if you don’t, I might be visiting your neck of the woods! Take a look at my upcoming performances.

…And if you’d really like the inside scoop on my creative process, you might enjoy my Patreon page.