Australian four member band Hiatus Kaiyote took the Green Stage by storm as the sun set on day 1 of Fuji Rock. Lead singer Nai Palm loved to interact with the audience as much as they loved interacting with her! Her look consisted of a sparkly sequin dress, pointy ear tips and long green hair that seemed to sparkle with her dress. She immediately made an impression with her playful and dazzling look.

This band has one of the most distinguishable sounds in part due to their musical stylings but also because of their unique vocal quality. From the start of the set, Palm and the background vocals were locked in sync with each other blending beautifully. With four singers it can be difficult to blend and balance but Hiatus Kaiyote had no issues with this in the slightest. They make good use of their vocal talent with heavy use of vocalization in songs like All the Words We Don’t Say and Rosewater. Palm herself has a very unique voice because of the very dark tone she uses when she’s singing low notes in her chest voice contrast sharply with her brightness when she sings in her mixed and higher register.

For some of their more popular songs like Nakamarra and Molasses, Hiatus Kaiyote had remixed intros that almost sounded like an alternate version of the songs. This was a great way to still play their fan favorites while still spicing up their set. Their distinctive sound really came through in their cover of Within You by David Bowie! It sounded so much like a song straight from their repertoire that I would not have known it was a cover if they hadn’t said so themselves.

They ended their set with Red Room, inviting audience members to sing along. They put careful detail into the show’s lighting so of course their last song swathed the entire band in overhead red spotlights.

The band’s musical talent and Nai Palm’s charisma made for a truly fantastic show.