Today we’d like to introduce you to Wildhearts.
Hi Wildhearts, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Aitor (vocals/rhythm guitarist) and Octavius (lead guitarist) become friends in high school in the fall of 2019. Octavius had been playing guitar for a little while & Aitor has always wanted to learn. Conversations about music are being had at this point & about a week before the covid lockdowns in early 2020, Octavius gives Aitor an acoustic guitar to learn. During the lockdowns Aitor & Octavius would call each other to discuss guitar progress & music. In late 2020, Aitor goes to Octavius’ apartment quite frequently to jam, learn songs, & create some god awful riffs. It’s around this time they get the idea of maybe starting a band. They put up flyers around their empty covid-era high school to seek some potential members. A few folks call them but, they weren’t the right fit. Octavius happens to be acquainted with another guitar player in early 2021 who just so happened to also be a bass player. This would end up being Matthew (bassist). The three of them arrange a meeting in the empty school auditorium with they instruments & small amps to hash out some songs. After liking the songs, Matt agreed to be the bass player. They were in talks with potential drummer, but that person couldn’t be a part of it after all. An instagram post was made of a photo of Aitor, Octavius, & Matthew, basically letting people know that they were a band now. In the comment section, Angel (drummer), writes a comment asking if we needed a drummer. They all get in contact & Angel sends in a video of his drumming. Him & Aitor already had history dating back to 6th grade, but Angel moved to Garland during 7th grade & they hadn’t seen each other since. In the summer of 2o21, Octavius’ family moves into a new home out in Crandall, a house. This house has space for a band to practice. In June of 2021, all 4 meet up at the new house to see if this “band” thing will work. It all goes great & the band is officially formed. From then on, being in a band together became a learning experience for all of them in terms of communication, friendship, & learning how to include each other’s ideas into all the music. In late 2021-early 2022, shows are being played at friends’ houses & at the high school. However, wildhearts did not break into the Denton/Dallas scene until summer of 2022, which was followed by lots of shows in 2023, up until an involuntary hiatus in January of 2024. As of March 2026, wildhearts are playing again.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been, these things never are. To start Octavius’ new house was in Crandall, which was quite the journey from where the rest of us lived. We would have to go home with Octavius after school, have practice, spend the night. there, & wake up super early for school the next day with Aitor & Matthew having to carry their equipment around the school. Octavius parents were not always thrilled about driving us all back & forth all that distance. We also had to spend a fortune on Ubers whenever we needed to, as we could not drive that distance ourselves at the time. Because we have different musical influences, it was sometimes hard to decide what creative direction to go. But that meant we had to learn how to have these conversations with out making someone feel like they were being attacked. That was a very important lesson to learn at the ages of 16/17. With this recent 2 year hiatus, it was very hard on all of us, on an emotional level, not being able to do what we love for so long.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are wildhearts, a 4 piece “alternative rock” band from Dallas, TX. What sets us apart from most other bands is that we don’t put ourselves in a box when it comes to musical creativity. It’s normal for any music artist to have a set genre, but that’s not us. We pride ourselves in being able to tap into different styles & perform it all in a genuine way that resonates with those who support what we do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildhearts.tx/
