Girls In Hawaii

Girls In Hawaii

Girls In Hawaii is a Belgian indie rock and indie pop group from Braine-l'Alleud, active from 2000. The band forms around the songwriting partnership of Antoine Wielemans and Lionel Vancauwenberge, who begin recording songs together on an old eight-track machine before expanding the project into a full group with their brothers and friends for live performances.

Formation and early development

Antoine and Lionel first work up songs at home and realise that their material fits together in a coherent way. Their early writing draws on indie rock, indie pop and a wider mix of influences that include Nirvana's Nevermind, Cat Power, Will Oldham and Swell. After making demos, they start attracting interest from promoters, magazines and record labels, then form a band to play the songs live.

In 2002 the group joins 62 TV Records. They then spend the summer writing and recording material on a mobile multitrack recorder in different country houses, choosing to record the album themselves rather than work with an outside producer. The group moves to Brussels as it decides it can build something around the record.

Band line-up

The band includes Lionel Vancauwenberge, Antoine Wielemans, Denis Wielemans, Christophe Léonard, Daniel Offermann, Brice Vancauwenberge, Andy Reinhard, François Gustin, Boris Gronemberger and Bryan Hayart. Denis Wielemans dies in 2010, after which the band takes a break.

Sound and style

Girls In Hawaii's music is built around vocal harmonies, synths, acoustic guitars and rhythmic backing, with melodic songs that range from ballads to more airy, dreamlike pieces. The group sings in English and cites American indie and alternative music as part of its musical background.