Two strangers, 10 years apart in age, independently commit their lives to music during the summer of 2012. In Seoul, South Korea, 23-year old Bret Dylan decides to move back to his native Seattle to begin writing songs to heal his trauma. In Auburn, WA, 13-year old Siahna Im decides music and singing will be her life. Dylan ends up in his parents’ basement writing songs, while Im takes the stage as a contestant with Pharrell Williams in Los Angeles on NBC’s The Voice. Ten years later they will meet in a friend’s apartment and Colorworks is reborn.

Founded by Dylan (guitar, vocals) in 2014, Colorworks has evolved over the years. At conception, Colorworks was nothing more than a suggestion - a  1960’s retro pop quartet trying (‘trying’ being the operative verb) to imitate the melodic mastery of The Zombies and the guitar-infused earworm hooks of The Kinks. After numerous member changes and a slow but steady unclasping of the the retro dream, Colorworks has updated their sound to the modern age - or at least to the 1990s. A modern rock/pop band outfit that has more in common with the likes of 1970s Stevie Nicks’ era Fleetwoood Mac, Sneaker Pimps, The Sundays and Metric, Colorworks stands out as a fusion of decades that makes for compelling listening today in 2024. 

Kailen Swensen (bass, vocals), Asher Einhorn (keys, guitar, vocals) and Billy Wu (drums) join Dylan to complete a tight rhythm section, providing the harmonic stage for Siahna Im’s smokey vocal texture and emotive performance, convincingly delivering Dylan’s songs of personal grief and triumph. Lush backing vocals from Dylan, Swensen and Einhorn ornament Im’s contralto as she whispers and wails through her range, countered by infectious synth/guitar hooks, leaving just enough space for the listener to take a breath.

‘The Mirror’ (2024) is Colorworks’ first single with Im and Wu. Exploring resignation, anger and the remnants of a broken relationship, ‘The Mirror’ presents the new quintet confidently refining their sound, and demonstrates a preview of a seven-song EP in the works slated for release in the spring of 2024. With the incomparable production of Jimmy Deng at db Music Studio, and engineering from Chris Rahm (Allen Stone, Alice In Chains) at Robert Lang Studios, this Seattle band has a sound that is ready made for fans to embrace. Discover them on stage this year as they promote their cocktail of memorable melody and swagger-forward performance.